
Class ^_ „ : 

Book, . C L4T1 
CopightN V< ^°^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



. ^ t <u~^n— 



MODERN DICTATION 



A DICTATION MANUAL COMPRISING VOCABU- 
LARY, BUSINESS LETTERS, SHORTHAND 
PLATES AND LEGAL FORMS FOR 
the TEACHING AND LEARN- 
ING OF SHORTHAND 



THE MODERN PUBLISHING COMPANY 



Published and sold by 

THE MODERN PUBLISHING CO. 
PARIS, TEXAS 






COPYRIGHT, 1908 
BY 

THE MODERN PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 



gnA2612Gi 
SEP 1 T909 



[ 



HAMMOND PRESS 
CONKEY COMPANY. CHICAGO 



PREFACE 



The letters and legal forms contained in this 
manual were compiled with a view to affording the 
student an opportunity to become familiar with actual 
business terms and technicalities, and to prepare him 
for the business world as a competent amanuensis or 
reporter. 

For the purpose of enlarging the student's short- 
hand vocabulary and aiding him further in the work, 
words and phrases have been selected from the different 
letters and law matter, and the correct shorthand 
outline written by the author and reproduced by 
photogravure. Thus he has a picture of the correct 
forms and proportions before him. 

The student may be assured that if he practice 
both reading and writing persistently and conscien- 
tiously, he will be prepared to fill any stenographic 
position when he has completed this course. 

These entire exercises should be practiced as sug- 
gested by the shorthand notes in the fore part of this 
manual — short sentences, parts of sentences and phrases 
taken separately and written repeatedly. 

That this book may serve the purpose for which 
it is intended, that of aiding both the teacher and the 
student, is the sincere w:ish of the author. 

THE AUTHOR. 



INDEX 



Number of p 
First Letter ™ ge 

Ad. Writing 312 125 

Advertising 325 129 

Art Glass 48 22 

Banking 151 58 

Books, Stationery, and Publishing 189 74 

Boots and Shoes 169 64 

Building and Loans .282 111 

Cheerfulness and Good Humor 197 

Coming Down in the World 188 

Court Reporting 169 

Do unto others as you would they should do unto you . . . 180 

Drugs 245 94 

Dry Goods 253 97 

Fruit 187 73 

Home 187 

In Commemoration of the Boston Massacre 178 

In the Days of the Mayflower 173 

Income and Expense 1.91 

Insurance 128 50 

Law Correspondence 358 148 

Legal Forms 151 

Loan and Trust 59 25 

Lumber 28 17 

Mercantile 77 30 

National Unity 185 

Pluck and Grit 192 

Publishing 189 74 

Real Estate 219 85 

Reasons of Failure 173 

School and College Correspondence 85 33 

Sociology 184 

Suburban vs. Urban 175 

Swallowing a Fly 181 

The Human Race is Enfeebled by Success 177 

The Inauguration of Washington ... 179 

The Passing of Sectionalism in the New South and 

North 185 

The Spirit of Christmas 186 

Truth 194 

Vocabulary 198 

Wanted, A Man 190 

Wood and Coal 1 7 



WOOD AND COAL 



x — l 

<r -vtf~ > v^^ Dear Sir: 



We continue to handle the reliable 

anthracite coal, and we are now prepared 

to quote you contract prices on same. We 

shall be 25 glad to hear from you soon. 

Yours truly, 

(33) 

—2— 

Gentlemen : 

The strike situation here is getting serious 

and it greatly interferes with our making as 

prompt shipments as usual. Your carload of 

coal 25 will go forward to-day. We trust you 

will pardon the delay. 

Yours truly, 

(38) 

— 3— 

Gentlemen : 

We are pleased to advise you that we 

are receiving shipments of choice coal and 

wood. Should you wish to put in your 

winter's 25 supply at this time, we should be 

glad to figure with you. 

Yours truly, 

(39) 



Dear Sir: 

(*& ^~ S ~<=J^ j^ K y° u are m tne market for wood and 

<=£-< (5 coal of the best quality, you should get our 

\ _ prices before placing your order. 25 After 

V"v_ vj^ 1 * 7 " October 1st this class of fuel will probably 

advance 15 per cent in price. 

<?. .j/.rT^o. . , rTT J* . Very truly yours, 

T O O (44) 

7 



8 MODERN DICTATION 

^ v^ Dear Sir: 

• <?" — ..-■'"'■ Please send at once one car lump coal 

^^^ and one of hickory cordwood. In referring 

f^J*.....?7?..5:. to our recent order for anthracite 25 coal, 

you will find that it was for one instead of 
*~~~f o^-f j * w0 cars - We herewith enclose you draft to 

"S&i"-*** v cover order, and the balance will 50 follow 

soon. 

..<=£©. .^.r^o/.^ Yours truly, 

(54) 



s?t 






Gentlemen: 

Replying to yours of recent date, we 
will communicate with the different mine 
operators and learn, if possible, the cause of 
the advance in 25 the price of their products, 
and we will advise you promptly, as per your 
request. 

Yours truly, 

(42) 



— 7— 
Dear Sir: 

Please cancel our order for two cars of 
lump coal and substitute anthracite, hold- 
ing same until we can give you full shipping 
instructions. 25 The great depression in finan- 
cial affairs in this section, has greatly affected 
our business. 

Very truly yours, 

(42) 



MODERN DICTATION 



Gentlemen: 



a L.J^ Herewith I hand you check in full pay- 

ment of account as per bill enclosed, which 
\f.. °y.. ?->. . (f g>7- ^-D ■ - - please receipt and return. We should appre- 
' ciate your adjusting 25 the matter of shortage 

v d <*-*- ^v on y° ur ^ ast shipment. 

' Y- ^ Yours very truly, 

(36) 






-J. 



>»a*"' -v 



:?,^^.C. _ 9 _ 

' Gentlemen: 

—\ ~~*\^ Your telegraphic communication re- 

•*- "tZ- ceived. We regret that we cannot at this 

time comply with your request for discount 

-v <£"-*S-r r ' > ' . on bill just consigned to 25 you on September 

15th. 
d \s /"*" x £ . , Yours truly, 

(32) 



<&>* 



^-^. 



./P 



.: :.^- 


£-- 


..*> 


ts 


■^- 


ft 


-.•>». 


•. % v>-.....-... 


.at 


C.//.>-7. 3 . 


ft/. 


~,(. 


-^ 



—10— 
Dear Sir: 

Please ship six tons of coal to the Elec- 
tric Light and Power Company of this city. 
Our supply of steam coal is almost 25 exhausted 
and we would ask that you promptly fill our 
order of the 11th instant. 

Yours truly, 

(43) 



10 MODERN DICTATION 

—11- 



^ 



Dear Sir: 

The shipment of dry wood, invoice 
1,025, has just arrived and we find a 
shortage of several cords. Kindly 25 attend 
to this and communicate with us either by 
mail or telephone. 

Yours truly, 

(39) 



—12— 
Gentlemen: 

Accept our thanks for your order for 
anthracite coal, which will be shipped at 
once. We would urge that you submit 
your order for 25 your season's supply 
soon, as there is sure to be an advance in 
price. 

Yours truly, 

(41) 



'^ 

—13— 

Q"J V- o Dear Sir: 

7-r-rr- .^^p 4*-< •-• - ■ ■ 

Prices on wood and coal are net, 

^_^ — *. therefore we cannot allow you cash dis- 

y?-^ J^<—0 count on your last invoice. We credit 

your account with 25 the amount paid. 

Sk T~*. Kindly remit balance as soon as possible. 

Yours very truly, 

(38) 



^y 



.*»... 



MODERN DICTATION 11 

—14— 
Gentlemen: 

Replying to your letter relative to short- 
age on invoice 228, we will refer same to our 
shipping clerk, who can possibly trace 25 the 
error. We are always pleased to rectify any 
mistake on our part. 

Yours truly, 

(40) 



—15— 



.^y*-*r* o , Dear Sir: 



Some time ago we sent you bill for goods 

^/ furnished you last year. Since then we have 

heard nothing from you. We trust you 25 

v"^ will not neglect this account longer, and thus 

necessitate our putting it in the hands of our 

attorney for collection. 

-r-y Very truly yours, 

(48) 



\f..C. 



—16— 
Dear Sir: 
c-.^---^^**' We telegraphed you on the 5th instant : 

"Add seven tons lump coal to previous order. 

~^..^r Ship at once." Your letter received this 

morning 25 would imply that you have not 
received this message. We have asked the 
Western Union to send tracer after it. 
Yours truly, 

(47) 



12 MODERN DICTATION 

—17— 



«<..««**•- 


r-.. % ^_.^.^ 


•^•■"••"- 


. c^r . .v . ^<? . Sv. >^\ • Zr*?. . . . 


^.£.—-*<r*' 


fa^v.^.,*: 


^rr__.e,..f.^.^?... 


r-V<^*..^.^;. 



Gentlemen: 

Please advise us at your earliest con- 
venience whether or not we may expect 
<: your solicitor to call upon us this fall. It 
is our 25 wish to take advantage of the 
lowest prices, as you know we order in large 
quantities. 

Yours very truly, 

(44) 



—18— 
Gentlemen: 

We are writing our old customers, urg- 
ing them to place their orders for coal and 
tf^ c__^ \J^ * ^ wood for their winter's use, before naviga- 
tion closes, and 25 thus get the benefit of 
steamship rates. 
■••^iAf-- Yours truly, 






^ - ^ \ 

Dear Sir: 



-*- V ~~~Z^^* ** * s our °pi mon tnat prices are now at 

*' ; * their lowest ebb, and we would advise that 

^ you submit your order as soon 25 as con- 

-<•-• "^ venient for the entire season. 

Yours very truly, 

(34) 



MODERN DICTATION 13 

—20— 
Dear Sir: 

<T — -CS*-. Cars, numbers 216 and 217, consigned 

to T. P. Wilson, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 

K 7.,/r..'T?..^ 1 '...*.. 7 . loaded with coal, were wrecked near 25 

their destination. Please credit Mr. Mar- 
-y. ' /?r tin's account with the contents of these 

* cars. 

C ■ Yours truly, 



? 



^ — 2i— 

V-i--»^ — Dear Sir: 

We thank you for order contained in 

->> C — / ^J yours of the 9th instant, which shall 

.p~. . . naV e our immediate attention. It is our 

desire to 25 build up a good business in 

your vicinity and we would appreciate 

your influence in our behalf. 

.vkjjiyr.Z.^.* Yours truly, 

_..5..^^p..^ 

<— •■ 
.So 



-j>..j5...'*?c- 



—22— 
Dear Sir: 

I am in receipt of a bill, dated Febru- 
ary 17th. You have certainly made an 
. error in your charges for coal, which if 25 1 

Tp. r^...^^..- «/. remember correctly, you quoted at 10c. 
less per ton in your letter of December 
a j 6th, than indicated by this bill. 

I herewith return 50 bill for correction. 
Yours truly, 

(55) 



14 MODERN DICTATION 

—23— 
Gentlemen: 

The quality of ccrl contained in your 
last shipment to us was not altogether satis- 
^4,- Aii- x^ 7 • factory. If we continue our patronage with 
you, we shall 25 have to insist that your 
~yp goods keep up to standard. We can use a 
large quantity, if you can furnish us with the 
best grade. 50 

-^ cu /> s - • • - Yours very truly, 

(53) 



s 9 



?r ' —24— 

Dear Sir: 

.?^..)f..l..^ Your letter of the 28th ult., addressed 

to our superintendent, is received. We find 

_s 2,,tf.cs,( p.... that the car you refer to was loaded 25 

under the supervision of two different fore- 

-p-" -s ^ - •*> men ' wno are P os i^ ve tnat tne correct weight 

•s*^ ■■■S r ' was given. 

We will write you further after a care- 
..^t<f..^:^v ..JL- ful investigation. 50 

>> Yours truly, 



(52) 



rv<^..>rr.,.«/..c?. 



—25— 
Dear Sir: 

We have your letter of the 4th instant, 



(a.sj —\ , and replying we take pleasure in advising 

that we are headquarters for the genuine 

o smokeless 25 coal which some people use in 

: lZ^f-<^ the place of hard coal. 

Thanking you for the inquiry and hop- 

"^ s J *~~ ^7/^P m & to ^ e ^ avorec ^ w * tn y° ur valued order, 50 
* y " we remain 

Yours truly, 

(54) 



MODERN DICTATION 15 

...f/O.. —26— 



Gentlemen : 
s~\ —^ ^ Most large business houses are now 

""- > ^j. _/ sending in their orders for their winter's 

coal, and we should be pleased to send 

.rV.Vj. ^?T.....7!.^_^ , our representative to 25 . see you. Coal is 

^ now at its lowest figure, and we wish to 

'a-i/ ^ f X a give all our customers the advantage of 

these prices. 
^_^^e Yours very truly, 



(50) 




.ffL^.ffe:*-^.*^*.. 






—27— 
Gentlemen: 

This is in reply to your favor of the 

5th instant, enclosing draft to cover your 

n account. We herewith return you the 

e^ K ..\,??Xz. c ?..y?..., receipted bill. 25 Please notify us at what 

time it will be most convenient for our 

•a ^ ^— ^ solicitor to call, and he will try to arrange 

his business to 50 suit your convenience. 
Very truly yours, 



.fe^-^K, 



•SO (56) 



2^ — p y ^J^—r 



16 



MODERN DICTATION 









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LUMBER 



—28— 
Dear Sir: 

In compliance with your request we billed car of lumber, f.o.b. 
Minneapolis. The prices given you do not admit of our 25 allowing you 
over thirty days' time on this consignment. 

We hold the car of fixtures pending instructions as to what dis- 
position is to bfe made 50 of contents. Yours truly, 

(54) 

—29— 
Gentlemen: 

Please enter our order for immediate delivery for one car hard 
pine flooring; also car of transoms, door and window frames. Please 
quote us your " best terms and prices on hemlock plank. 

Yours truly, 

(34) 

—30— 
Gentlemen : 

We are sending you the plans and specifications for building on 
Market Street, and ask that you kindly submit estimate at your con- 
venience on 25 all lumber necessary for same. 

In your last month's statement you included charges for material 
omitted from the shipment of October 2d. Please credit our 50 account 
with this overcharge. Very truly yours, 

(57) 

—31— 
Dear Sir: 

We are informed that in the near future you contemplate erecting 
a handsome residence. We desire to call your attention to the fact 
that 25 we manufacture all kinds of building material. If you will 
give us an opportunity to figure on your requirements, we think we 
can make it 50 to your interest to purchase from us. 

Yours very truly, 

(60) 
17 



18 MODERN DICTATION 

—32— 
Dear Sir: 

If you will kindly submit us sketch and floor plans for your build- 
ing, we can readily furnish you estimate on flooring, shelving and 
roofing. 25 The contractors have not yet remitted as per our contract 
with them, and we rather look to you to prompt them. 

Very truly yours, 

(49) 

—33— 
Gentlemen: 

Herewith enclosed our estimate on the building material for resi- 
dence, with prices per thousand feet attached. We should be glad to 
figure with you 25 for this job complete. We believe we can do as well, 
if not better than our competitors. Yours very truly, 

(45) 
—34— 
Dear Sir: 

This is to confirm our telephone conversation relative to prices 
and terms on all lumber to be used in the construction of your 25 dwell- 
ing. Should you decide to build the terrace as you suggested you 
might do, we may be able to give you closer prices on the 50 entire lot. 

Yours truly, 

(54) 

—35— 
Gentlemen: « 

We are greatly surprised that our contractor should be short on 
base boards, and we are inclined to the belief that some of the 25 ma- 
terial was damaged beyond use in the recent storm there, for which 
we cannot be responsible. Yours truly, 

(43) 

—36— 
Gentlemen : 

We are shipping you to-day practically all the lumber necessary 
to complete the building up to and including the second floor. The 
delay in 25 this work was caused by our inability to get the quality of 
material we desired Yours truly, 

(42) 

—37— 
Dear Sir: 

We infer from your letter of the 29th instant that you expect to 
place your order soon for building materials. If you 25 will submit us 
a detailed list of what you will need, we will be able to giv t e you more 
accurate figures, which we assure you 60 will be fair. 

Yours very trulv, 

(56) 



MODERN DICTATION 19 

—38— 
Dear Sir: 

Enclosed is statement of your account, dated November 27th, 
and which as you know is long past due. The house for which 25 this 
lumber was furnished is completed and the workmanship approved. 

Please give this matter immediate attention and avoid attorney's 
fees. Yours truly, 

(47) 

—39— 
Gentlemen : 

Your letter enclosing statement on account of material for build- 
ing, situated on Fifth Avenue and Fourth Street, is received. This 
building is not yet 25 completed and the transoms and doors on the 
third floor were disapproved by our superintendent. 

Please have this work inspected and submit statement. 

Yours truly, 

(50) 

Dear Sir: 

As per our agreement we send you to-day, by American Express, 
the window sash and door locks. We also mail you under separate 25 
cover, a complete catalogue of our stock of locks, door knobs, and dec- 
orative materials. Ten per cent off of list price for cash. 

Yours very 50 truly, 
—41— 
Gentlemen: 

We enclose estimate on list of lumber, received from you this 
morning. You put the grade on two items only, and we have figured 25 
on everything else. We have given you a very low price, and trust we 

may receive your order for the lot. Verv truly yours, 

(49) 
—42— 
Gentlemen : 

In reply to yours of April 22d, we would say that it is practically 
impossible for us to figure satisfactorily on exchange of material. 25 
We thank you for enclosing the drawings sent you by mistake. 

Yours truly, 

(39) 

—43— 
Dear Sir: 

We have on hand a lot of moulding strips which you could doubt- 
less work up to good advantage, but which are here in 25 our way. If 
you can use them, advise us and we will give you a special price on 
same. Yours very truly, 

(47) 



20 MODERN DICTATION 

Gentlemen : 

In your last shipment to us at Seattle you omitted the 300 feet of 

]/2 ,f ceiling, which we are now 25 in immediate need of. If you can't 

send this material at once by express collect, please telegraph us on 

receipt of this. Yours truly, 

(49) 

Dear Sir: 

The goods offered you in our previous letter has been protected 
from the weather for sometime and is thoroly dry. The only 
reason 25 we were offering it at reduced prices, is that we wish the 

storage room for other purposes. Very truly yours, 

(45) 
—46— 
Dear Sir: 

I infer from our conversation to-day that you anticipate building 
sometime during the season. Allow me to urge that you do so as 25 
soon as possible, as lumber is advancing rapidly. 

We regret to state that your order for window sash reached us 

too late for immediate shipment. 50 Yours very truly, 

(53) 
-47— 
Dear Sir: 

We note your favor of the 19th in regard to estimate on material. 
Just at present we are entirely sold out of 25 the style you wish. We 
shall be pleased to advise you when we get a new supply. 

Very truly yours, 

(45) 






.0/ 



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MODERN DICTATION '21 



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K^^/y^' y^.-*.^ 



ART GLASS 



—48— 

Dear Sir: 

Herewith enclosed are drawings for emblems twelve inches in 

diameter. Please rush this work through as quickly as possible, and 

oblige. Yours very 25 truly, 

(26) 

—49— 
Dear Sir: 

We have been expecting the drawings for the memorial window 
and our customer seems disappointed that we have not submitted 
same before this. 25 Will you kindly drop us a line at the earliest pos- 
sible moment, telling us what we may depend upon regarding these 

drawings? Truly yours, 

(49) 

—50— 
Gentlemen: 

There is quite a discrepancy between your catalog prices and those 
quoted us. Please explain to us how we are to remit with order 25 
each time, when we cannot depend upon the quotations of your cata- 
log. 

An early reply will oblige, Very truly yours, 

(45) 

—51— 
Dear Sir: 

This is in reply to your favor of recent date in regard to ap- 
parent discrepancy between our catalog prices and those given 25 you 
personally. The catalog quotations call for common, clear and double 
strength glass, while your work is all of beveled glass. You can readily 
see 50 that there would naturally be a difference. 

Trusting this explanation will be satisfactory, we remain 

Truly yours, 

(67) 
22 



MODERN DICTATION 23 

—52— 
Gentlemen: 

Please send at once by express two glasses for carriage lamps, as 
per sample sent to-day by Adams Express, charges prepaid. We 
should 25 appreciate your prompt attention to this as well as to our 
telegraphic order of the 10th instant. 

We will submit your bid to the committee on finances, for the 50 
windows for the Congregational church, and as soon as we receive 
its report, will write you fully. 

With best wishes, 76 Very truly yours, 

(78) 
—53— 
Gentlemen: 

Not having heard from you in answer to our recent letter, we 
now write to ask that you advise at once as to 25 whether or not the 
memorial windows for the Baptist church in this city, will be ready by 
the first of March. 

Wc enclose you two 50 contracts which you will please sign, return- 
ing one to us and retaining the other for yourself. 

Very truly yours, 

(69) 
—54— 
Gentlemen: 

We anticipate building some beautiful residences on Compton 
Heights, and we should be glad to consider figures from you on plate 
and decorative glass 25 for same. If you will call at our office in pass- 
ing, we will show the plans. Or no doubt your representative might 
do as well, 50 if it is not convenient for you to come in personally. 

We have inspected your sketches of art glass, and believe we can 
find* something 75 to suit us, if figures are satisfactory. 

Yours very truly, 

(85) 
—55— 
Dear Sir: 

Under separate cover we are sending you catalog of our latest 
designs in art glass. If after carefully inspecting this catalog you find 25 
anything that interests you, we should be pleased to give you figures 
on this class of material. 

We enclose stamped envelope and ask that you 50 kindly advise if 
you expect to use any art glass. 

Thanking you in advance for the opportunity of figuring with you 
on this job, we 75 are Very truly yours, 

(79) 



24 MODERN DICTATION 

—56— 
Gentlemen: 

Enclosed is drawing for the decorative and memorial windows on 
which you will please give us your prices. We might say that we wish 25 
only the best. Also please send us a tinted reproduction of these draw- 
ings, your artist using his own best judgment as to coloring. 

Please return 50 these drawings at the earliest possible moment, 
as we wish to get other bids and complete this work as soon as possible. 

Yours very truly, 

(75) 

—57— 
Dear Sir: 

We are to-day sending you separately, catalog of our stained glass 
designs. If you can make selections from among these sketches, we 
shall 25 be glad to quote you our lowest prices, endeavoring to meet 
those of our competitors. 

If we furnish the glass for the entire job, we 50 may be able to give 
you prices on a wholesale basis. 

Hoping to hear from you, we remain Truly yours, 

(70) 
—58— 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter from Boston, enclosing report, is received. We note 
what you say relative to the contract for Professor James's residence, 
and we 25 would suggest that you induce him to inspect the samples of 
our latest designs, which we are sending you to-day per United States 
Express, charges 50 prepaid. 

Please endeavor to get a written expression from the New York 
firm for whom we furnished plans, as to how they like our work 75 and 
methods of procedure. As we are still young, a letter from so reliable 
a house, might be of some commercial value to us. 

Let 10 ° us hear from you more frequently. 

Yours truly, 

(108) 



LOAN AND TRUST 



—59— 
Dr. Will D. Miller, 

Hyde Park, N. Y 
Dear Sir: 

Please advise us immediately what you can do in the matter of 
your loan. The 25 payments are so far delinquent that something 
must be done immediately, either by way of payment or foreclosure. 
Hoping to hear from you at once, 50 Very truly yours, 

(53) 
—60— 

Mr. Fred Freeman, 

Euclid Avenue, .Cleveland, Ohio. 

Dear Sir: 

Please advise me as to developments in the matter of the proposed 

loan on your property 25 near Chicago. Something will have to be 

done at once toward adjustment of the account. 

Yours very truly, 

(43) 
—61— 

Mr. R. G. Patrick, 

Cairo, 111. 

Dear Sir- 

Unless one month's payment is made on each of your loans on or 

before the first day 25 of next month, I shall begin foreclosure pro 

ceedings on both mortgages. 

Yours truly, 

(38) 
—62— 

Dear Sir: 

I notice that you have neglected to make any payment this month 
on your loan. I regret that I am obliged to inform 25 you that your 
delinquency is now so great that if it is permitted to increase, it will be 
necessary to begin foreclosure proceedings on the 50 mortgage. 

Please let me hear from you by return mail, when I hope you will 
remit at least one month's payment at once. Yours truly, 

(75) 
25 



26 MODERN DICTATION 

—63— 
Mr. John Franklin, 

128 La Salle Street, Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

I wish to remind you that unless a satisfactory payment is made 25 
on both your loans, on or before the 27th day of this month, fore- 
closure proceedings will be commenced immediately thereafter, and 
without further notice. 50 Yours very truly 

(53) 

Mr. B. L. Gardner, 
Pullman, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

Do you know anything about the Martin property in your city? 
Has the trade been made of 25 which you spoke to me sometime since? 
If so, do you think we can get a deed on advantageous terms ? 
I should thank you for 50 an early reply 

Very truly yours, 

(56) 

Mr. J. G. Marshall, 

Altoona, Pa. 
Dear Sir 

Will you please return to us by return mail our collection sheet 
for the month of February, 25 with draft for the amount that you have 
collected? There was a request attached to your remittance sheet 
and we are holding the books open 50 pending your tardiness. 

Please mail the sheet to us whether you have made the collections 
or not. Very truly yours, 

(70) 

—66— 
Dear Sir: 

We attached to our collection sheet when it was mailed to you, a 
request for the prompt return of this sheet, with collections 25 on ac- 
count of our semi-annual dividends. Up to this morning, however, 
we have failed to receive the same from you, and we again kindly re- 
quest 50 you to return this sheet to us with draft for the collections, if 
you have made any; if not, return the sheet as above requested. 75 

Yours truly, 

(77) 



MODERN DICTATION 27 

—67— 
Mr. H. J. Price, 

20 Market Street, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

Have you obtained your order for release of the Zimmerman 

mortgage, and for 25 the execution and delivery of quitclaim deed, to 

cover the transfer that was made to you by Mrs. Brooks and husband? 

You don't seem 50 to want any money out of this, and if so, I will 

keep what is coming to you and expend it in riotous living. 

Yours 75 very truly, 

(77) 
—68— 
Mr. 0. A. Clark, 

St. Paul, Minn. 
Dear Sir: 

We see that you have entirely ignored our request to return to 
us on the 3d 25 of January the- collections you have made for the 
month, and consequently all the members in Minneapolis have lost a 
part of their dividends on 50 account of your actions. 

The March collections are now due, and we shall look for the 
return of the collection sheet, with collections for the 75 two months, 
promptly on time. Yours truly, 

(82) 



Mr. Martin Culberson, 
Martinsville, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor, enclosing your pass-book with $7.50 in currency, 
this day received, and the above amount 25 has been placed to your 
credit upon the books of the Association and receipted in your pass- 
book, which I return herewith. 

Thanking you, we remain 50 Yours respectfully, 

(52) 
—70— 

Mr. E. F. Pate, 

Salem, N. C. 
Dear Sir: 

We hereby acknowledge receipt of $6 — post-office order — and 
at your request the same 25 has been placed to your credit upon the 
general books of the Association. 

Thanking you for the prompt remittance, we remain 

Respectfully yours, 

(48) 



28 MODERN DICTATION 

—71— 
Mr. George W. Bryant, 

212 Elm Avenue, Jackson, Mich. 
Dear Sir: 

We acknowledge receipt of your certificate of stock and notice 
of withdrawal 25 of James A. Brown, and the same have been placed on 
file this day. The withdrawal value will be remitted to you to be 
delivered 50 to Mr. Brown at the proper time. 

Yours very truly, 

(60) 



—72— 
Mr. A. H. Keller, 
Morgan, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

Will you please return to me the abstract and recorded mortgage 
in the Edward M. Price loan? 25 I have been carrying the papers in 
this matter on my desk for the last six months, and would like to clear 
it up entirely, 50 as it remains only to receive the abstract and mortgage. 
I wish you would kindly give that matter attention. 

How is Mr. Butler coming on 75 with his affairs ? I received a 
letter from Mr. Pope sometime since, saying that the loans could prob- 
ably be settled without the necessity of an 10 ° increase. Please let me 
hear from you at once. Yours truly, 

(ill) 

—73— 
Mr. M. G. Hunt, 

Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

I notice that you have not yet made the payment for February 
on your loan. I call your attention 25 to it now for the reason that the 
regular semi-annual dividend of the Association will be spread at the 
end of the present month, and 50 it is necessary that your payment for 
this month be made on or before the 3d of March, if you wish to par- 
ticipate in the 75 dividend to the full extent. 

It occurs to me you may not know about this, and it would be 
something of an object for you 10 ° to bring the account up to date. 

Yours very truly, 

(110) 



MODERN DICTATION 29 

—74— 

Mr. John Morgan, 

108 North Hampton Street, Wiikes Barre, Pa. 

Dear Sir: 

We this day acknowledge the receipt of your notice of withdrawal 25 

and pass-book and have attached the same to your certificate of stock 

and placed all papers on file. The withdrawal value will be remitted 

to 50 you the next time we pay withdrawals, which will be about the 

15th of March. Yours very truly, 

(68) 

—75— 

Mr. Harry Hull, 

Sioux City, Iowa. 

Dear Sir: 

I shall expect a payment of at least $50 on the loan to your 
wife 25 on Monday, the first proximo, without fail, as promised when 
.you were here last. It is very necessary that such payment be made. 

As 1 50 explained to you, the regular semi-annual dividend of the 
Association will be paid at the end of this month, and it is exceedingly 
desirable for 75 your own account, individually, as well as for general 
results, that you have as large a credit as possible. 

Yours truly, 

(96) 

—76— 
Mr. J. J. Carr, 

928 Francis Street, Jackson, Mich. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 26th this day received, enclosing your pass- 
book, 25 notice of withdrawal and application for reinstatement. As 
soon as the remittance is received from our local collector, we will 
make the transfer of the 50 $2.50, receipted in this book on the new 
certificate, issue the same to you and remit the withdrawal value of 
the old certificate 75 to you the next time we pay withdrawals. 

Thanking you for your favor, I am, Yours truly, 

(02) 



MERCANTILE 



—77— 
Mr. J. W. Jones, 

Louisville, Ky. 
Dear Sir: 

Allow me the pleasure of introducing the bearer, Mr. John Williams, 
of Rochester, New York, who is 25 one of our heaviest dealers in metals. 

Any transaction you may have with him in your line of goods will 

be, I know, to your 50 advantage. From my personal knowledge of 

his strict integrity and promptness in business, you can rest assured 

that any order that you may be pleased 75 to entrust him with will be 

executed promptly and satisfactorily. Very truly yours, 

(88) 

—78— 
Mr. H. B. Day, 

Newark, N. J. 
Dear Sir: 

I beg to inform you of the non-arrival of the two packages 
ordered by me on 25 the 10th inst., and which by yours of the 15th, I 
noticed were forwarded by the American Express on that day. 

I must 50 ask your immediate attention to this matter, as the parties 
for whom they are required are anxiously awaiting their arrival. It is 
essential that 1 75 should receive them in season for the purpose 
for which they are intended. Otherwise the parties will not only be 
disappointed, but the goods will 10 ° be left on my hands. 

Yours truly, 

(107) 

—79— 
Mr. M. L. Castle, 

New York City. 
Dear Sir: 

We beg to acknowledge receipt of your esteemed favor of the 3d. 
The contents have given 25 us great pleasure. We rejoice over the 
evidence of the prosperity of your house at last, after the dark shadow 
that so long hovered above 50 it. It is refreshing to learn that you have 
succeeded in maintaining your position in the Mercantile community, 

30 



MODERN DICTATION 31 

and are now sailing along again with 75 the stream. Your success is a 
perpetual reminder to others that, "Where there's a will, there's a 
way." The energy and business tact, which has 10 ° superseded the old 
order of things must tell to the advantage of your house in the future ; 
and you may rely upon us as heretofore 125 to give our special attention 
to your demands, when you are pleased to forward them. 

Until then, with best wishes for your success, we remain, 150 

Yours truly, 

(152) 

—80— 
Mr. A. R. Miller, 
Norfolk, Va. 
Dear Sir: 

We are pleased to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 
1st inst. In return we 25 beg to hand you enclosed price list. 

The goods we hold are of all grades and such as will command 
a ready sale in your 50 market. Our usual terms of settlement are 
6 per cent cash, 3 per cent 30 days, net 4 months. 

Our inquiries as to your 75 standing resulted most favorably, and 
we shall be happy to receive your orders, confident of fulfilling them 
to your satisfaction. 

Meanwhile, we are, gentlemen, Yours 10 ° truly, 

(101) 

—81— 
Mr. J. L. Quinct, 

Detroit, Mich. 
Dear Sir: 

On the 16th of December last, I sent you an urgent letter, ordering 
in haste the 25 enclosed list of articles which up to date I have not 
received ; neither have you advised me of the reason for delaying ship- 
ment. 

This delay 50 has annoyed me greatly, necessitating the purchase 
in the market from time to time of such articles in the list as I needed, 
at advanced 75 figures, which were redisposed of at cost rather than 
disappoint my customers. 

This treatment is not that of my usual experience with you, and 
1 10 ° desire an explanation. If the goods are not here by the 16th, you 
will please consider the order canceled. Yours respectfully 

(122) 



32 MODERN DICTATION 

—82— 
Mr. R. N. West, 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

We have your favor of the 29th inst., and in reply would say that 
the box containing 25 the goods referred to, which was burnt out, was 
overlooked in our wareroom, and was not returned to you until the 
30th inst., when 50 we sent the same to you by U. S. Express, and trust 
it has reached you by this time. Yours truly, 

(71) 
—83— 
Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 7th duly received. The firm of Brown Bros, applied 
to me about two weeks ago 25 for a number of salesmen to represent 
their interests. 

They promise to employ some ten or fifteen good young men, and 
if you will write 50 them, saying it is done at my suggestion, they will 
give you particulars. 

I hope you may be able to secure an engagement to do 7B the 
business they have in view. Very truly yours, 

(83) 
—84— 
Mr. John Richmond, 

16 Spring St., New Haven, Conn. 
Dear Sir: 

I am very much obliged indeed for your favor of the 30th, 25 and 
also for your promptness in filling out the blanks enclosed to you. 

Your letter is very complimentary indeed, and we shall very 
gladly use 50 some of its expressions in our journal, or in the catalog. 

We are glad to hear that you are doing well now, and hope that v5 
you may not have any return of your illness. Yours truly, 

(86) 



SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CORRESPONDENCE 



—85— 
Mr. Joseph H. Gray, 

10 West St., Richmond, Va. 
Dear Sir: 

We write to thank you for your request for our catalog. We 
have 25 mailed you our latest catalog, and trust you will find it inter- 
esting. 

You no doubt know the high standing of this institution, and it is 50 
unnecessary for us to enter into an explanation of it here. 

Very truly yours, 

(64) 

—86— 
Mr. James K. Johnson, 

45 Davis St., Springfield, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 3d, requesting that a catalog be sent to Mr. 25 
Scott, is just received, for which please accept thanks. We find that 
Mr. Scott asked for a catalog a few days ago, which has already 50 been 
sent him, and it is unnecessary to mail him another one. 

We are very much obliged to you for the manner in which you 75 
are looking after our interests in your part of the country, and are 
sure it will result advantageously to the institution. 

Mr. Davis is getting 10 ° along splendidly, and we believe will make 
a good record with us. Very truly yours, 

(115) 

—87— 
Mr. Frank H. King, 

West Broad St., Macon, Ga. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 4th is just received. While you say you have 
no 25 education at all, from your letter we imagine you are very well 
prepared to take up such work as we do in this institution. Your 50 
letter gives evidence of reasonably good scholarship. You spell cor- 
rectly, compose with facility, and there is not the slightest doubt that 
if you will come 75 here and apply yourself diligently to our work, you 
would master the branches you propose in twelve months, and prob- 

33 



34 MODERN DICTATION 

ably in considerably less than 10 ° that time. Should you make your- 
self an efficient stenographer and bookkeeper, there is no doubt of 
your being able to secure a satisfactory position at 125 living wages 

from the start. Very truly yours, 

(132) 
—88— 
Mr. L. L. Green, 

245 Main St., Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your son has already entered upon his work in the school, 25 and 
while he has not been here long enough for us to judge how he will get 
along, we are confident he will make an 50 entirely satisfactory course. 
After talking the matter over with him, we agreed with him that it was 
best for him to take what is known 75 as the Twenty Weeks' Combination 
Course to start with. This would allow him to take up studies in the 
Academic Department in connection with his 10 ° commercial course. 

We will try to take good care of the young man, and will inform 
you from time to time how he is progressing 125 with his work. 

Very truly yours, 

(131) 
—89— 
Mr. Robert Young, 

Rochester, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 4th is just received. We write to congratulate 
you upon your success in 25 this contest, and assure you when you come 
here and take up the course of study to which you are entitled, you will 
be 50 well pleased with your treatment here from every point of view. 

Very truly vours, 

(64) 
—90— 
Mr. Charles L. Carter, 

Savannah, Ga. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 3d just reached us. Some days ago we mailed 
a catalog to the 25 young man who you wrote us would probably be in- 
terested in our work. It is my belief that the publications have reached 
him before now, 50 but in order that there may be no doubt of this, I 
am sending you another copy of the catalog, believing that it will 
interest 75 you and that you should have one on hand, in order that you 
may explain the nature of our work to your friends who are 10 ° in- 
terested. 

With kind regards, Very truly yours, 

(107) 



MODERN DICTATION 35 

—91— 
Mr. Samuel Garrison, 
Kingston, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of November 3d is duly received. I have been look- 
ing the ground over here and 25 think it somewhat improbable that I 
can find a man who is suitable for your purpose. We have only two 
or three young men here 50 whom I could earnestly recommend for 
such a place as that you offer, and they could easily command fully as 
much, or more money than 75 you offer, in some mercantile employ- 
ment. 

I do not make this statement with a view of having you increase 
your offer, but simply because 1 10 ° wish you to appreciate fully that 
it is hardly sufficient to command the services of a first-class man, and 
I imagine your school would not 125 be satisfied with anything else than 
a young man who had devoted the time necessary to master the various 
subjects you want taught, and such 150 could easily command $10 to 
$15 a week at the start, with a prospect of early advancement. If I 
should recommend 175 to you a young man who had mastered stenog- 
raphy, unless you should give him constant practice by dictating your 
correspondence to him, he would likely 200 have to spend a good part 
of what he had earned during the year in reviewing and getting speed 
next summer, provided he proposed to 225 use the accomplishment in 
a practical way. 

This is the feeling of most of the young men who are at work in 
our department, and 25 ° who are likely to graduate in time to take the 
place you want filled. Very truly yours, 

(267) 
—92— 
Mr. Henry D. Davis, 

254 Dean St., New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of July 3d is just received. I have 25 to-day given a 
letter of recommendation and introduction to a young man, named 
William H. Scott. While not an experienced stenographer, he is a 
capable 50 young man of the highest character, and one whom I believe 
to be able to give you good service. 

Mr. Scott will present his letter 75 within the next few days, and I 
hope you will consider his claims favorably. 

Very truly yours, 

(92) 



36 MODERN DICTATION 

—93— 
Mr. F. R. Brown, 

94 Washington St., Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

I had a talk with you several years ago when you were in 25 New 
York, with reference to the time consumed in the Shorthand Depart- 
ment by the students here under your charge. This matter is one of 
considerable 50 importance to us, for the reason that now and then 
these young people return and wish to know exactly what their rights 
are with reference 75 to future instruction under the contracts originally 
made by them. We have such a case now, the person being a young 
man of the name 10 ° of Jones, from Boston, whom you may remember 
as one of your students for a time during the months of January, Feb- 
ruary, and March, or 125 later in the year when you were here. I would 
like to know if you can recall exactly what length of time Mr. Jones 
was 15 ° under your instruction. He accomplished little or nothing, 
and would have to start all over again if he took up the subject again. 
The failure 175 to accomplish much was due rather to himself, as he 
was not a diligent student, but this was not a fault of yours. 

Please let 200 me hear from you again on this subject. 

Very truly yours, 

(211) 

—94— 
Mr. Robert A. Morris, 

Boston, Mass. 
My Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 14th is just received. I very cheerfully enclose 
herewith a letter of 25 recommendation, which, although it may not 
be a duplicate of the one given you in 1907, will probably answer as 
good a 50 purpose. I hope you will get along well and that you have 
good prospects of a prosperous year in your section. 

With kind regards, Very 75 truly yours, 

(77) 

—95— 

Mr. James Brown, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

I write in response to your letter of the 5th, just received. I 
regret to hear that your 25 parents conceive that it will be better for 
you to go to a Normal School next year than to come to us. Perhaps 
you 50 need the kind of work given in these schools more than training 



MODERN DICTATION 37 

for business. This I know is true, if you expect to make a 75 teacher 
of yourself. If, on the contrary, you are inclined to go into business, it 
will be better judgment for you to come here at 10 ° the earliest possible 
moment. 

I hope you may have a pleasant year at the Normal School, and 
when you have completed the work laid out 125 for you there, if you are 
inclined to seek a school in which to prepare for business, please let 
us hear from you further. Yours 150 truly, 

(151) 
—96— 

Mr. W. C. Jones, 

Philadelphia, Pa 
My dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 6th inst., introducing your friend, Mr. Scott, 
arrived some days ago. 1 25 did not answer at once, because I was 
unable to make such recognition of the favor you have done us as 
should have been made, 50 the young man having delayed the payment 
of his fees after his arrival ; that is, until he could write home. 

Mr. Scott appears to be 75 a very bright, clever young man, and 
will, I am sure, do well. I am glad to have him give me a very favor- 
able account 10 ° of your business. He says you are in very active prac- 
tice, and he is satisfied that you are making a very good income. 

Please note 125 the enclosed folder, and in anything you do hereafter 
in our behalf comply with the conditions named therein. We shall, 
for the future, hold strictly 15 ° to these conditions, because we have 
been troubled more or less in the past, by having a number of claims 
made for premiums on the 175 same case. 

With kind regards, Very truly yours, 

(183) 
—97— 

Mr. F. J. Miller, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 30th was duly received. I send you a copy 
of our catalog, 25 as requested. It will give you the desired information 
regarding work in the different departments of the school. Our book- 
keeping course usually requires from four 50 to five months' time. 
Tuition charges for four months are $45; for five months, $55. 

I shall be pleased to receive 75 you as a student, and if you decide 
to come, you may begin work with us any week in the year with equal 
advantage. Very 10 ° truly yours, 

(102) 



38 MODERN DICTATION 

—98— 
Mr. H. W. Jones, 

Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

Your application for membership at St. Louis has just been re- 
ceived, and I write in acknowledgment of 25 the same ; also to tell you 
that you will find us ready to show you a satisfactory boarding place 
when you come. 

Mrs. Brown is 50 no longer keeping boarders. . She has moved 
away from the city. The family that was at No. 62 Main Street has 
moved to another 75 street. I think that we can show you accom- 
modations with them if you come next week. To-day I know there 
are two or threevacancies 10 ° in their house. Very truly yours, 

(106) 

—99— 
Mr. E. J. Baker, 

Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 31st is just received. I am very glad to learn 
that 25 you have decided to come to the school, and am sure that you 
cannot come at too early a day. January is one of the 50 large months 
of the year for enrolment. I do not know whether or not this is owing 
to the good resolutions made by young men, but it 75 does seem to be a 
starting point. 

We shall be glad to welcome you at any time, and you may come 
in any day except 10 ° Sunday, and you will find us ready to take care 
of you as you may need. Very truly yours, 

(119) 
—100— 
Mr. John M. Smith, 

44 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 31st ult., requesting that we send our 25 catalog 
to Mr. Davis, has been received, and a copy will be promptly mailed. 
I thank you for this opportunity, and shall be pleased at 50 any time 
to send printed matter to such of your friends as you believe would 
be interested in our work. 

Thanking you for your continued 75 interest, and hoping that I 
may see your friend here in a short time, I am, with kind regards, 

Very truly yours, 

(97) 



MODERN DICTATION 39 

—101— 
Mr. R. E. Johnson, 
Dallas, Texas. 
Dear Sir: 

I write in answer to your letter of the 10th inst., which enclosed a 
draft for 25 $40.00 to be placed to the credit of Mr. Jones. This has 
already been done, and the money will be applied strictly in 50 com- 
pliance with the instructions of the young man's father. 

I regret very much to hear of your brother's illness. I hope the 

attack may not 75 prove serious. Remember me to him when you see 

or write him. I may extend my congratulations to both you and 

your brother. It is 10 ° a pleasure to know that you are about to be 

promoted. This shows to what extent you are appreciated by the 

firm in whose employ 125 you are. 

With best wishes, Yours truly, 

(132) 
—102— 

Mr. John Bacon, 

36 State St., Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

This morning I had a call from Mr. Johnson, whom I recommended 
to you 25 a short time ago. He informed me that he had received a 
telegram calling him to Colorado. This made it necessary for him 
to leave 50 the position he occupied with you. I do not know that 
you are still in need of a stenographer, but if you should need any one 75 
in this capacity, I would like very much to have the privilege of sup- 
plying you again, and hope you will let me hear from you, 100 address- 
ing me on this point. Very truly yours, 

(108) 
—103— 
Mr. James L. Smith, 
Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I write in response to your letter of the 9th inst. We will send 
your friend, 25 Mr. Morgan, the catalog, if one has not been sent already, 
and hope he may conclude to come to us. I will take good care 50 of 
him, and see that he has as comfortable a boarding place as possible. 

I want especially to know whether you have so radically de- 
parted 75 from the old line system, as to be unable to teach them any 
longer. Do you think you can handle a class to advantage, doing the 10 ° 
finishing work? If you do, I am much inclined to consider you, be- 
cause I am in need of some one in that capacity. 



40, MODERN DICTATION 

Please let m me hear from you at once, and say whether you 
think you can do fully as well with us as with the school you are 15 ° 
now in. You remember that you wrote me within a year that you 
were teaching English. 

With kind regards, Very truly yours, 

(172) 
—104— 
Mr. W. L. Jones, 

Boston, Mass. 
My dear Sir: 

I acknowledge your letter of the 24th of November, received 
during my absence in Virginia. 25 I do not know whether you remember 
it to be a fact, but it is my habit to go down for Thanksgiving every 
year, and 50 spend it at my old home with my father. As a rule, I take 
my vacation at that season. 

Professor Parks informs me that he 75 has already returned your 
book. I, of course, spoke to him about it as soon as I had arrived at 
this office, and had examined 10 ° my mail. I hope you have received 
it before now; if not, let me hear from you, and I will have him look it 
up. 125 

With kind regards to you,, and to any of our former students who 
may be in your city, I am Very truly yours, 

(148) 

—105— 
Dear Sir: 

After exchanging several letters with you with reference to your 
desire to fit yourself for business, I have kept your last letter before 25 
me, because I concluded that you would probably feel inclined later to 
begin work in one or the other of the schools under my care. 50 

I hope that you have not given over altogether the disposition to 
prepare yourself for some better and more paying employment than 
you will probably 75 be able to obtain with the qualifications you now 
have. 

I am sure that if you can spend about six months with us, you 
will 10 ° not only be better able to discharge any duties that may be 
required of you in any business man's establishment, but will be 
fitted to 125 demand a salary far in excess of what you can now com- 
mand, and that we can be promptly helpful to you in obtaining em- 
ployment. 

Hoping 15 ° that we shall have you as one of our patrons sometime 

during the autumn months, I am Very truly yours, 

(170) 



MODERN DICTATION 41 

—106— 
Mr. G. B. Dean, 

168 Brown St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
My dear Sir: 

I write to acknowledge your very kind letter of the 13th, 25 which 
would have been answered before, if I had not been too busy to at- 
tend to friendly correspondence. The catalog was forwarded to Mr. 50 
Reed, in accordance with your request, and I hope you will be able to 
influence him to join us, when he goes to a school 75 of this character. 
I hope you are getting along well, and that you may be able to recom- 
mend others of your friends to join us. 100 

I do continue to pay premiums, and will be very glad indeed to 

remember you in accordance with the conditions stated in the little 

pamphlet 125 enclosed herewith. Please look it over carefully, so as 

to be able to understand the conditions clearly, as they must be 

strictly complied with, in 15 ° order to establish the claim of a student 

to such a premium. Very truly yours, 

(165) 

—107— 
Mr. Thomas A. Jones, 
Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of the 15th, a copy of the College Catalog 
will be mailed 25 to you, showing the work of the different departments. 
We do not think it likely that in twenty weeks' time you will accom- 
plish all that 50 you desire in the Business and Shorthand Courses, but 
in from six to seven months you ought to become an efficient stenog- 
rapher, and have learned 75 enough bookkeeping to make you competent 
to do the work usually required in any office. 

One hundred fifty dollars will pay for twenty weeks, combining 10 ° 
with tuition, textbooks, board, etc., and the extra time that you may 
require will cost you $10 a month for tuition only, you 125 paying your 
own board for such time as you may be here. 

We shall be glad to receive you at any time, and to help 15 ° you all 

that we can. Very truly yours, 

(158) 

—108— 
Mr. James M. Smith, 
Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I write to thank you for your very kind letter of the 8th, received 
more than 25 two weeks ago. I have been so busy recently that it has 



42 MODERN DICTATION 

been impossible for me to give attention to all the very good letters 60 
I have received from our former students, and acknowledgments of the 
invitations to our recent anniversary. 

I enclose herewith another copy of the little folder 75 sent out with 
that invitation, and hope that you will be able to interest yourself in 
the school. We shall be glad to see any 10 ° of your friends here, and 
if you know anyone who would like to come to the school, we would be 
glad to have you send 125 them to us. 

With kind regards, Yours truly, 

(133) 
—109— 
Mr. D. J. Brown, 

Boston, Mass. 
My dear Sir: 

I suppose that you are still in the East, as I have not heard from 
you 25 recently. I write chiefly to say that it will give me a great deal 
of pleasure to see you get such promotion as you are 50 seeking with 
the New York Central Railroad. Yours truly, 

(59) 
—110— 
Mr. J. G. Adams, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
My dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 10th is received. I am afraid our correspondents 
will think that 25 we are unworthy of confidence in this matter of the 
textbook on Shorthand and Typewriting. I expected fully to have the 
book ready for them 50 before this time, but the delay has been with 
the printer. However, it will not be long before the book will be 
ready, and I 75 send you a set of pamphlets in order that you may 
have something to go on with. These contain all that is in the book, 100 
except the last few lessons, and will give a very good idea of how we 
have the work laid out. I hope they may serve 125 your purpose for the 
present, and assure you that we shall fill all the orders we have for the 
book in the course of a 15 ° short time; as soon as our friend, the printer, 
enables us to do so. Very truly yours, 

(167) 
— Ill — 
Prof. J. A. Brown, 

6 State St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

I am in receipt of your letter of the 8th, for which please accept 25 
thanks. Before this time you have probably received my letter of last 
night asking whether or not it would be possible for you to come 50 



MODERN DICTATION 43 

at once to New York, with a view of taking the place of one of our teachers 
there, who probably will want to leave us. I 75 would much prefer to 
have you begin now, if the thing is at all consistent with your plans, 
and not wait until September, for the 10 ° simple reason that I am 
probably going to be under the stress of an emergency, and I think 
no one could help me out better 125 than you. It is also proper that you 
begin to pick up the threads of your work for the next year as soon as 
possible. 150 

I may tell you that our prospects are unusually good, but we have 
had something of a break up in the school, the principal causes 175 
of which I have no time to go into here, but which will make it neces- 
sary that we have some additional help. Very truly yours, 

(100) 

—112— 
Mr. L. H. Brown, 

34 Lake St., Cleveland, Ohio 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 7th in reference to your correspondence course 
is just 25 received. We have mailed you our catalog and other publi- 
cations, and would suggest that you read carefully the first twenty 
pages, which are devoted especially 50 to a description of the various 
courses. Very respectfully, 

(59) 

—113— 
Mr. J. W. Smith, 

Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of the 14th, for three months' tuition, com- 
bining the departments that you 25 desire, the cost will be thirty-five 
dollars. For fifty dollars we will sell you twenty weeks combined. 
This includes the business course with shorthand, 50 typewriting, and 
telegraphy, giving you a chance to combine these studies in such pro- 
portions as you can best arrange for. 

Telegraphy is not advertised in 75 our catalog from the fact that 
it has not been taught until this fall, for the last two years. We are 
now prepared, however, to 10 ° give you excellent instruction and 
every facility for acquiring knowledge and skill in this profession. 

We shall be pleased to receive you and to serve 125 you as you may 
need. Very truly yours, 

(133) 



44 MODERN DICTATION 

—114— 
Mr. M. W. Scott, 

Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 7th, together with the books sent by express, duly 
received. As you intimate, the 25 express charges are heavy, being not 
less than $3.50 on the box you sent, and your putting in two extra 
books goes 50 in a measure to help this out. We never use this book in 
any way, but are using some little dictation books, prepared by Mr. 75 
Harris himself. Our teachers here prefer your books to this for several 
reasons, into which I need not go at this writing. I suppose Mr. 100 
Harris thinks his own publications better. 

I am going to New York within a day or two, and will review the 
whole matter with him. 125 I enclose you a letter from that office which 
shows his position in the matter: Very truly yours, 

(143) 

—115— 
Mr. H. M. Smith, 

Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of the 10th inst., the textbooks in the 
Shorthand Department used 25 by beginners, cost two dollars. This 
includes a blank book especially designed to go with the usual text- 
book. On receipt of the money, we will 50 promptly mail this to you. 
They are well adapted to home study. Very truly yours, 

(65) 
—116— 
Mr. Carl Ziellenbach, 
Krefeld, Germany. 
Dear Sir: 

In response to your letter of August 28th, just received, I regret 
to say that, just at present, 25 and for some months to come, it will be 
impossible for me to offer you just such an opportunity as you wish 
to seek. During 50 the past two weeks, I have, from necessity, had to 
make arrangements of the character I had with you last fall with 
another young man. 75 The young man referred to really began work 
the first of September. Just how long it will take him to accomplish 
the purpose which lead l0 ° him to accept the opportunity offered, I 
can not tell you, but it will certainly be some time — perhaps six or 
eight months. 

With sincere 125 best wishes Your friend, 

(129) 



MODERN DICTATION 45 

—117— 
Dear Sir; 

Your postal card of the 1st inst., desiring to know if we can put 
you in communication with a teacher of penmanship, bookkeeping 25 
and shorthand, duly received. 

We can recommend a very excellent young man as teacher of pen- 
manship and bookkeeping, who writes a fine hand, but have 50 no one 
who writes well who can combine shorthand. 

If you desire to have the young man write, I will ask him to do so. 75 

Yours very truly, 

(78) 
—118— 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 8th of August, inquiring about the preliminary 
education of Mr. Lee, is just received. 

I am unable to speak 25 of the advantages Mr. Lee has enjoyed, 
with reference to practically all the subjects cited on your blank. The 
young man attended this school and made 50 a fairly good record here. 
The work he took with us pertained largely to such a study of the 
English language as one born to 75 a foreign tongue must give, in order 
that he may get along with the study of commercial branches. Mr. 
Lee also spent some time in 10 ° the study of these latter branches, pure 
and simple. None of them are cited on your blank, and I assume 
that you care little 125 for information with reference to his standing 
in them. 

I see no reason why the young man should not be permitted to 
study dentistry, as 15 ° I believe him to have a sufficient academic 
education for that profession. 

With best wishes, Respectfully yours, 

(67) 

—119— 
New York Machine Company. 
Gentlemen: 

We return to you by mail the Binder that we cannot use with 
satisfaction. 

We have been hoping that your 25 man would call at the factory, 
and our machinist could then explain how to change the curve so 
that it would probably do. 

Kindly send 50 us credit memorandum, and greatly oblige 

Yours truly, 

(58) 



46 MODERN DICTATION 

—120— 
Mr. Charles Jackson, 

48 West 23d St., New York, N. Y. 
My dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 16th is just received. I do 25 not think that we 
shall need your services in any way, as we have a complete corps of 
teachers. In case there should arise an 50 opportunity for your 
employment, however, you might submit a definite proposition, say- 
ing what salary you want and when you would be ready to commence 
work. 75 Very truly yours, 

(78) 

— 121 — 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of May 3d, asking why I have failed to answer any 
previous letter, is just received. 

I read the long 25 letter to which you probably refer, with con- 
siderable interest and referred it to Mr. Brown, who has charge of our 
advertising. It is true that 50 we advertise to a certain extent in the 
Chicago papers, but it is only incidental to the advertising done in the 
interest of the local 75 business. I am leaving it largely to the judg- 
ment of Mr. Brown to select the papers in which our advertising in 
Chicago is to be 10 ° done. Very truly yours, 

(104) 

—122— 
Mr. James Smith, 

Newark, N. J. 
My dear Sir: 

I write to inquire if we may expect you with confidence on the 
16th. If it 25 is possible and agreeable to you, it would be quite suitable 
to our arrangements, for your lecture to be delivered in the morning 
or afternoon 50 of that date, rather than in the evening. I have not 
made any announcement of your coming, as I have sometimes been 
disappointed when I 75 had my heart set very much on a certain speaker. 
I am disinclined to talk very much about your coming, until you in- 
form me that 10 ° your health is in such condition that there is no danger 
of disappointment. 

Hoping that I may hear from you within a day or two, 125 I am, 
with sincere good wishes, Very truly yours, 

(134) 



MODERN DICTATION 47 

—123— 
Mr. G. G. Harris, 

Newburg, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I am in receipt of your letter of the 22d of November, informing 
me that 25 one of your friends, Mr. Morris, is likely to be with us in the 
course of a short time. I assure you that it will 50 give me pleasure to 
take care of him in every way, and try to show him that the work you 
did in inducing him to 75 come to us was to his advantage. 

Yours very truly, 

(85) 

—124— 
Messrs. Jack & Baker, 

Charleston, W. Va. 
Gentlemen: 

Your letter, signed by Mr. J. D. Jack, has just reached me. 

I can recommend 25 to you a young man whose name is Morris, a 
Nova Scotian by birth, who finished the work of our business course, 
or bookkeeping departments, 50 some six months or a year ago. He 
is now well along with stenography, but is not yet fully ready to be 
recommended as a graduate. I think you could get him to take work 
with you practically at your own terms. 

To-day is Saturday and I am unable to 10 ° see and speak with him, 
but I will have him write you on Monday and give the information 
you want. 

The young man is one 125 of two brothers who have attended this 
school. Both have been well brought up, are perfectly sober and, so 
far as my observation goes, honest 15 ° and reliable. The elder brother 
was sent by me to West Virginia to one of the large coal corporations, 
but in reeent times, has been 175 at work in Philadelphia. The younger 
is very quick about many matters, but has been a little slower to 
learn stenography than the elder. Still, 100 I think him just about the 
type of man you would want to break in, and believe there is no doubt, 
if he had the 125 opportunity to learn your business, that he would give 
you faithful, efficient service. Very truly yours, 

(141) 

—125— 
Dear Sir: 

Twenty-five years ago very few men who went into business had 
any education. 

That is the reason many young men think they 25 can succeed 
without special preparation. 



48 MODERN DICTATION 

These men had no competition. But the men of your generation 
are being educated for business — being educated as business 50 spe- 
cialists. 

That leaves nothing for the untrained worker but cheap work. 

Any business man will tell you that the big positions with big 
salaries are 75 the hardest to fill. 

Don't be cheap. Get above competition by knowing your work. 

Don't wait; don't say, "If I were sure of a good 100 position I 
would take a course." If the farmer withholds the seed for fear the 
birds will pluck it up, or that the sun will 125 not shine, or that rains will 
not come, he will never reap a harvest. 

Delays are dangerous. 

In the hope that you will decide to 150 prove our merits by spend- 
ing a term with us in the near future, may we again request of you the 
favor of a reply, stating 175 whether or not we may anticipate your 
patronage and, if so, about what time we may expect to see you ? We 
remain Very sincerely yours, 

(200) 



—126— 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter under date of the 20th inst., making inquiries in re- 
gard to the advantages from Affiliated Membership with the American 
Commercial 25 Schools Institution, is before me. In reply would say 
that when I accepted affiliated membership with this Institution, I 
did so feeling that I would 50 be making a sacrifice for a year or two for 
the good of the cause, but expected that the results would begin to 
come after 75 two or three years. I have not held membership for one 
year, and I am agreeably surprised with the results. I feel that results 
came 10 ° to me the very first month and have continued to come since. 

The effect has been that it has given a better tone to my 125 school 
and has placed it on a higher plane, not only with the students but 
with the public. 

I was in Cleveland attending the Managers' meetings 15 ° last week, 
and find that this is the conclusion of all of those who have accepted 
Affiliated Membership. I shall continue my membership, even 
though 175 the cost be four times what it now is. 

Very respectfully, 

(186) 



MODERN DICTATION 49 

—127— 
Dear Sir: 

We have your name on our list as one likely to be interested in our 
Night School. We have mailed to your address 25 college literature at 
different times, but so far, have heard nothing from you. It may be 
that we have not sent the right information, or 50 said the right thing to 
cause you to realize the importance of obtaining a practical business 
education. 

If you are past "school age" and will 75 have to start at the bottom, 
we have a place for you and will guarantee that you will suffer no em- 
barrassment. Our instruction is individual 10 ° and private, and students 
may take any branch or branches desired from one or more courses. 

Don't you think you could be benefited by one 125 of our courses 
in the evening school? As a result of spending a term here young 
people get promotion and advancement from their employers that 15 ° 
otherwise would have been impossible. The training you get in our 
Night School would certainly make your services more valuable and 
you would be well 175 repaid for time and money thus expended. 

We should be pleased, to receive a call from you at any time so 
that we may talk 20 ° the matter over fully. We trust that we do not 
ask too much of you when we request the favor of a reply as to 225 
whether or not you are interested in our work. We enclose a self- 
addressed envelope for a reply and sincerely hope you will not disap- 
point 25 ° us. Very truly yours, 

(254) 



INSURANCE 



—128— 
Mr. B. F. Grady, 

Green Bay, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

According to our map, risk number 15,647 is one located in a " 
frame range with four other occupants, and for this reason we are com- 
pelled to require cancellation of this policy at once. By reference to 
number 50 73 of the new limit sheet, you will note that retail risks, with 
more than two mercantile tenants, (frame building) is prohibited from 
the 75 Union, and of course, a frame range would have to be considered 
as one and the same risk. 

Thanking you in advance for your prompt 10 ° compliance with 
this request, we beg to remain Yours very truly, 

(ill) 

—129— 
Dear Sir: 

Number 6,574,893, Jacksonville. We are in receipt of proof of 
loss under the above numbered policy duly 25 executed, and beg to 
enclose herewith draft number 4,473 for $9.15 in payment thereof. 

Thanking you for your attention 50 to this matter for us, we beg 
to remain Yours very truly, 

(62) 

—130— 
Gentlemen : 

We acknowledge receipt of application for renewal of insurance on 
gin of Robert G. Parker. We call your attention to the fact that 
some 25 of the items have been reduced: The building, from $800 to 
$750; the machinery, from $3,000 to $2,490. 50 

As you are probably aware, the 24 loss clause is not applicable 
to gins in Tennessee, hence it becomes necessary 75 to keep within a 
certain limit of not exceeding three-fourths of the actual value of the 
plant. Yours very truly, 

(96) 
50 



MODERN DICTATION 51 

—131— 
Gentlemen : 

We have yours of the 11th instant in regard to insuring cotton- 
wood lumber, located at the mill near Sherman, Texas. In reply we 25 
beg to say that we should not care to write this lumber unless there were 
a clear space of 200 feet from the mill 50 and the proper warranty in 
the policy. 

Where lumber at mills is located within 200 feet, we require the 
same rate that the mill 75 pays. In this case we have no diagram or 
report on the mill, and in the absence of such, we should prefer not to 
authorize a 10 ° line. If it is a comparatively small mill without much 
fire protection, the rate would run anywhere from 8 to 10 per cent, 25 
which would make it a prohibited risk for this office. 

Yours truly, 

(38) 
—132— 
Dear Sir: 

In your April account you allow a rebate of $10.40 account of rate 
reduced from $4.60 25 to $3.50, as we understand it on account of im- 
provements being made. You have never sent us an endorsement for 
this, nor 50 advised us in detail what the improvements are. We would 
like for you to give us full information showing what corrections have 
been made to 75 warrant the $3.50 rate. 

Thanking you in advance, we are Yours very truly, 

(91) 
—133— 

Mr Edward M. Morrison, 

24 Mill St., Rochester, N. Y. 

Dear Sir: 

I enclose you my idea of a circular letter which, together with 25 

the attached leaflet should be mailed to all of your prospectives. Of 

course, you would use your own letterheads, and have your name and 

address 50 at the bottom. Very truly yours, 

(56) 
—134— 

Mr. A. S. Carter, 

64 Market St., Scranton, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

We enclose a money order just mailed to us by Mr. J. W. 25 Lee 
of your local branch. As it is made payable to you, very likely he 
addressed the letter to us by mistake, instead of sending 50 it to you. 

Very truly yours, 

(56) 



52 MODERN DICTATION 

—135— 
Mr. Samuel F. Roberts, 

Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

We are sending you by mail to-day a cardcase for your personal 
use, as a token 25 of our appreciation of the assistance you have ren- 
dered this Company in building up the business of the Accident and 
Liability Department to its present 50 proportions. 
With the compliments of the season, we remain 

Very truly yours, 

(62) 

—136— 
Mr. D. F. Jones, 

24 Washington St., Boston, Mass. 

Dear Sir: 

Please find enclosed bill for excess premium on policy No. 2,354, 26 

New York Mills. Please collect same and return to us, less your usual 

commission. Very truly yours, 

(43) 

—137— 
Mr. J. J. Green, 

Buffalo, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

We take pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your favor of the 
2d inst., covering monthly 25 reports, with draft for $150. If any 
errors are found upon examination of the reports, you will be advised. 

Yours truly, 

(49) 

—138— 
Mr. B. F. Harris, 

23 West Main St., Troy, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

We will have a few 1908 calendars with 2B which we can supply 
you, and we will send them to you by express; or, if you will send us 
a list of the names 50 of those to whom you wish them sent, we will 
mail' them free from the Home Office, and save you the trouble. We 
can let 75 you have thirty or forty. 

We have mailed a calendar to each of our local secretaries, out 
cannot of course mail one to each of our l0 ° members, as the cost 
would be too great. Very truly yours, 

(112) 



MODERN DICTATION 53 

—139— 
Mr. William B. Jones, 

67 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo. 
Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 29th is at hand. It is necessary not 25 only to ex- 
press my pleasure, but my thanks to you, for what you have accom- 
plished at your agency every month and every year since you 50 took 
charge of it. 

Do not worry about the Employers' Liability premium on the 
Scott & Brown policy. It will be all right. 

Very truly 75 yours, 

(76) 
—140— 

Mr. W. J. Baker. 

Columbus, O. 
My dear Sir: 

I am just in receipt of your letter of the 25 19th, enclosing policy 
No. 34,825, for which please accept thanks. The probability is that 
I had better come out to 50 your place and see the chickens to which 
you refer. I shall do this as soon as it may be convenient for you to 
show 75 them to me. It is my intention to go to Virginia the first day 
I can get off within the next two weeks, and if 25 you will inform me 
what day I can come down with the certainty of finding you sufficiently 
at leisure to go with me and let 50 me see the fowls, I shall try to keep 
the appointment. It would suit me a little better to go the latter 
part of the 75 week, although I may be able to get off almost any day. 

With kind regards, Very truly yours, 

(94) 
—141— 

Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 24th was received two or three days ago. I have 
had so much other mail of immediate importance, 25 that I found it 
impossible to answer you more promptly. 

Your former agent had written me a few days before your letter 
came, telling me 50 that he intended to surrender his present occupa- 
tion about the middle of this month. I am somewhat doubtful as to 
whether I shall know of 75 a man whom I can recommend to you for 
your insurance department. In all likelihood we can recommend one 
who can do a part of 10 ° Mr. Smith's work. 

The trouble is that we have no one in mind just at present who 
can attend to both your insurance and rental m departments, and at 
the same time one who would be perfectly willing to accept the proposi- 



54 MODERN DICTATION 

tion you make. A week or two hence we may 150 have discovered the 

person you want and as soon as this shall prove true, we will write again. 

We are anxious to serve you and 175 have every reason to hope that 

we shall be able to do so soon. "Very truly yours, 

(192) 
—142— 
Mr R. B. Martin, 
Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

Referring to your favor of the 12th inst., with reference to build- 
ing insured under policy No. 25 12,282, I beg to say that in my judg- 
ment you make a mistake in not carrying this risk at the high 50 rate 
paid for it, it being a brick building with iron roof, and within a hun- 
dred feet of our Water Works building. If the building 75 adjacent 
should burn, the damage on this risk would be small. There is cer- 
tainly no moral hazard, and the plant is making money. 

If this 10 ° is not good business at this rate, then there is nothing 
in this section of the country that I can recommend to you. I would 125 
cancel at once and give it to some other company, if it were not for the 
fact that all my companies are carrying large lines 15 ° in that vicinity. 

If you insist upon cancellation, I will relieve you at once upon 
receipt of your instructions to that effect. Yours truly, 

(174) 

—143— 
Gentlemen : 

Policy number 15,647, Memphis, Tennessee. This loss has been 
adjusted for $900 and I now hand you check 25 on this company for that 
amount, payable to the order of the assured, in settlement of the 
claim in full without discount. 

The loss being 50 partial, the insurance is reduced the amount of 
this payment, and I ask that you see that endorsement to that effect 

is placed on the 75 policy. Yours very truly, 

(79) 
—144— 
Dear Sir: 

We this morning received proof of loss from you under policy 
number 15,793, and we now ask that you 25 send us a regular printed 
form of report of this loss, in order that we may send it forward to the 
company. 

In all cases 50 please do not overlook sending us by mail the printed 

form. Kindly send this notice by return mail, and we will forward 

you draft on 75 the company for the amount of loss. 

Yours very truly, 

(85) 



MODERN DICTATION 55 

—145— 
Dear Sir: 

In passing the daily report under number 98,768, we note that 
you have allowed to remain in the 25 form the total concurrent insurance 
for $60,000. Inasmuch as you have attached the 50 per cent Co- 
insurance Clause, we think this line should 50 be eliminated from the 
form. 

Please send us an endorsement, complying with this request, and 

oblige Yours truly, 

(68) 
—146— 
Gentlemen: 

I thank you for the satisfactory manner in which- you have repre- 
sented our interest. 

Our position so far for 1907, in 25 Texas, is not nattering; yet, 
with the assistance and remembrance of a liberal share and patron- 
age from our agents during the remaining months of the 50 year, we hope 
to make our usual creditable showing. I fully understand present 
conditions, and any effort from your agency in our behalf will receive 75 
our full appreciation. It may be that you can favor us with some long 
term cotton policies. We will give liberal lines at compresses and l0 ° in 
open yards. If others should be offering special contracts for that 
business, I should thank you to give me full information. 

We are also 125 writing oil mills when in good condition and if the 
electrical wiring is satisfactory. Possibly we can serve you in that or 
some other way 150 to our mutual advantage. 

Hoping for continued favors, I am, with personal regards, 

Yours very truly, 

(166) 
—147— 
Gentlemen: 

Referring to the one gallon Lighting device manufactured by your 
company at Chicago, we beg to say that when properly installed we 
are willing 25 to accept permits for the use of such machine in properties 
covered by policies of our companies and without extra charge. 

Yours very truly, 

(49) 
—148— 
Mr. T. E. Foster, 

Detroit, Mich. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 3d instant, advising us that the assured's 
last inventory was taken in January, 25 1907, has been received. We 



56 MODERN DICTATION 

regret very much that we cannot approve the endorsement of the 25th 
ultimo, permitting the assured 50 to defer taking an inventory until 
the 1st of May. The iron safe clause provides that unless a complete 
inventory has been taken within twelve 75 calendar months prior to 
the date of the policy, one shall be taken within thirty days thereafter. 
The provisions of the iron safe clause are 10 ° so essential to the profit- 
able insuring of mercantile risks, that we cannot afford to weaken 
them by consenting to any deviation from them whatever. The 125 
policy at present is, according to its terms, void and it would not be 
acting in good faith on our part to allow the policy 15 ° to remain in 
force, knowing that its condition had been violated. We must, there- 
fore, ask that you kindly cancel the policy. 

If the assured will 175 take a new inventory within thirty days, 
you may issue to him a new policy from the current day, which would 
then be valid under 200 the condition that if no inventory had been 
taken within twelve calendar months prior to its date, one would be 
taken within thirty days. 

Kindly 225 give this matter prompt attention, and oblige 

Yours very truly, 

(235) 



—149— 

Mr. Lewis D. Long, 
Seattle, Wash. 
Dear Sir: 

We received in due course your endorsement of the 15th inst., 
attaching to this policy the % 25 value clause. On this printed form 
you have canceled with pen, iron safe clause, and we believe that in 
event of a loss the assured 50 could claim and very likely the court 
would hold, that the iron safe clause in this policy was canceled. We 
have therefore to suggest that 75 you amend the endorsement, particu- 
larly so, as you do not refer to having canceled the % loss clause. 
Inasmuch as you also, 100 by endorsement on the same date, permit a 
total of $7,000 insurance, we deem it best to dispose of this matter 
and correct 125 it by using a new form; that is, take one of our new 
printed policy forms, containing the % value and iron safe clauses 15 ° 
and fill it out just as though you were going to write a new policy. 

Yours very truly, 

(168) 



MODERN DICTATION 57 

—150— 
Gentlemen: 

Referring to my letter of June 29th, advising you of my trip to 
New York, I am very glad to note you remembered me 25 by giving 
the Company Policy No. 10,882, as a compliment to that visit. The 
company as well as myself feel much 50 gratified with the satisfactory 
manner in which our agents responded to my request. 

My visit was in every way satisfactory to me. I now believe 75 
the Company has a better understanding of the conditions in this 
state. I was able to induce them to modify some of their views and 10C 
in future trust our common efforts will be better understood. 

Trusting to be remembered with our full pro rata of your desirable 
business, I am, 125 with personal regards, Yours very truly, 

(131) 



BANKING 



—151— 
First National Bank, 

Liberty, Mo. 
Gentlemen: 

Complying with your request of July 3d, we have charged your 
account $10,000, and have remitted like 25 amount to the Seaboard 
National Bank, New York, for your credit and advice. 

Yours truly, 

(39) 



—152— 

North American Trust Company, 

Wall Street, New York, N. Y. 
Gentlemen : 

Please remit the Seaboard National Bank, New York, Ten Thous- 
and ($10,000) Dollars, and charge our 25 account to cover. 

Yours truly, 

(30) 

—153— 
Hanover National Bank, - 

New York, N. Y. 
Gentlemen : 

Yesterday we received your check for $3,745.60, in payment of 
our number 25 1,460 sent you on the 15th instant, enclosing checks 
amounting to $3,650.09. 

We note that 50 you have charged us exchange on this letter at the 
rate of 3^ P er cent. Prior to this time you have been remitting 75 for 
our items at par. We presume that this was an error on the part of 
one of the clerks. 

Kindly advise if we are 10 ° correct, and oblige 

Yours truly, 

(105) 
58 



MODERN DICTATION '. 59 

—154— 
Gentlemen: 

Kindly purchase for our account twenty-five or thirty thousand 
dollars worth of good commercial paper, maturing in September and 
October, at the best 25 rate of interest you can, and charge our account 
to cover. When purchased, please forward papers to us. 

Thanking you in advance, we are Yours 60 very truly, 

(52) 

—155— 
Exchange National Bank, 

St. Louis, Mo. 
Gentlemen : 

We have debited your account to-day $15, 647. 14. for Spokane 
Dry Goods 25 Company paper, $15,000 due September 6th, at 5 per 
cent, discount amounting to $225.55, net $15,674.14 50 as per statement 
enclosed. 

We also enclose a copy of the last statement of this Company 
and would say 75 that this name is considered excellent. 

We also have to enclose three notes of $5,000 each, which we trust 
will reach you safely. 100 Yours truly, 

(102) 

—156— 
Second National Bank, 

Dayton, Ohio. 
Gentlemen : 

Enclosed herewith we hand you draft on the Texas Drug Company, 
together with letter from our Dallas correspondent, which 25 is 
self-explanatory. You will observe that the draft has been accepted, 
as per your telegraphed instructions. Yours very truly, 

(44) 

—157— 
Bank of Commerce, 

Cleveland, Ohio. 
Gentlemen: 

It is very probable that within the next thirty days we will have 
exchange on something like a thousand 25 bales of cotton on the 
following firms: 

Societie D'Importation et De Commission. . . . Havre 

Georges Degay Havre 

Westphalen & Company Havre 



60 MODERN DICTATION 

Having in mind your letter 50 of October 9th, offering to buy such 
bills, we wish to know if you can handle these with our guarantee of 
acceptance. We would also 75 like to know if you are acquainted in 
any way or know anything of these firms ; if so, we will appreciate it if 
you will 10 ° advise us as to your opinion of their financial standing and 
responsibility. 

Kindly let us have a full expression of your opinion, so that in 125 
the event that we should find it necessary to wire you, we will not have 
to make so many explanations, etc. Yours very truly, 

(149) 

— 15S— 
Bank of New York, 

New York, N. Y. 
Gentlemen: 

Please ship us ten thousand ($10,000) dollars, currency, via Wells, 
Fargo Express, charging same to our account, 25 and oblige 

Yours truly, 

(29) 

—159— 
Merchants' National Bank, 

Indianapolis, Ind. 
Gentlemen : 

Replying to your favor of the 23d instant, we beg to say that we 
have forwarded your letter 25 to the Comptroller of the Currency, with 
request that he appoint the Bank of New York as reserve agent for 
your bank. Very truly yours, 

(50) 
—160— 
Mr. J. C. Bolliver, 

American National Bank, 
Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dear Mr. Bolliver: 

I have your letter of the 14th instant. It came in this 25 morn- 
ing only. We will do our best for you, but it will be impossible to 
fill your order to-day. Do not worry about discommoding us. 25 It 
gives us pleasure to serve you, and I want you to feel free to call upon 
us at any time. 

We shall always do 50 our best for you, both in the purchase of 
paper and as to names, rates, and maturities. 

Very truly yours, 

(70) 



MODERN DICTATION 61 

—161— 
Mechanics 7 National Bank, 

Chicago, 111. 
Gentlemen : 

Will you kindly furnish us in confidence with an expression of your 
opinion as to the responsibility and management 25 of the First State 
Bank of Quincy, Illinois? 

Assuring you of our willingness to reciprocate whenever occasion 
permits, I am Very truly yours, 

(48) 

—162— 
Mr. Louis P. Rodney, 

Commercial National Bank, 
Evansville, Ind. 
My dear Sir: 

I am only writing this letter to tell you how much we appreciate 25 
the business you have given us, and to assure you that it is appreciated, 
not only by me, but by Mr. Howe and everybody connected 50 with 
the Mechanics' National Bank. 

I do not doubt that your wishes have been met successfully dur- 
ing the season, and I write to express the 75 hope that our relations 
will continue long and pleasant. I am sure that the Mechanics' Na- 
tional Bank will do its part towards the consummation of 10 ° this, our 
desire. 

With kindest regards, believe me 

Sincerely and gratefully yours, 

(112) 

—163— 
Gentlemen : 

We have received your favor of October 16th, enquiring as to 
the standing of certain firms whose names you mention. These names 
are 25 not known to us. We have been making some enquiry to-day 
among the bankers who do a French business, and we learn that the 
first 50 and the second names each have a capital of about 1,000,000 
francs -and are in good credit. The third name is that of a 75 wool 
broker and he is reputed to have little or no means. 

When we wrote you some two weeks ago about the matter of 
cotton 10 ° Bills, we had in mind Sterling Bills, drawn on Liverpool or 
London. These we would be very glad to have you telegraph us 



62 MODERN DICTATION 

about, 125 and we could make a close rate on them. As regards Bills 

on France, that would hardly be in our line, as we have not 150 any 

French account. We will, however, if you wish, give you the best 

quotation we can, but we could do better with Sterling bills. 

Yours 175 very truly, 

(177) 

—164— 
State Bank of Utah, 

Salt Lake City, Utah 
Gentlemen: 

We take pleasure in enclosing our last statement to the Comp- 
troller of the Currency, and would 25 be pleased to have you favor us 
with yours of recent date; also place us on your mailing list for 
future statements. 

Thanking you in 50 anticipation of the courtesy, we are 

Very truly yours, 

(59) 

—165— 
Mr. Otto G. Stedman, 
Sioux City, Iowa. 
Dear Friend: 

We are sending you to-day $50,000 worth of commercial paper, 
which we consider 25 prime and which we bought for ourselves in much 
larger amounts. I am sure you will be pleased with both the rates and 
maturities. We 50 have charged your account as per enclosed state- 
ment. 

Concerning the note of the Security Investment Company, this 
note is amply margined by stock of the 75 Westinghouse Electric & 
Manufacturing Company, which is listed and which has a good ready 
sale at all times. The note is made out in my 10 ° favor and endorsed 
without recourse on me. The reason the note is made out in this way, 
instead of direct to you, is that some 125 one individually in the bank 
has to give a receipt for the collateral. I signed the receipt and it is 
surrendered and returned. 

I enclose 150 to you herein the hypothecation, and you can accept 

this as a receipt from us that we hold on account of the note the 16 175 

shares of stock referred to in said note and in said hypothecation. 

We carry this paper ourselves for $100,000. 

Yours 20 ° very truly, 

(202) 



MODERN DICTATION 63 

—166— 
Mr. Frank D. Foreman, Cashier, 
Omaha National Bank, 
Omaha, Nebr. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your favor of the 16th inst., we will discontinue 
sending 25 you outside items for the present, or at least until the cot- 
ton season is over. At that time if you can send us a revised 50 list of 
points on which you can handle our items, basing your charge on the 
total of our letters, we will again send you a 75 portion of our business. 
Thanking you for the service you have rendered in collecting these 
items in the past, I am Yours very truly, 

(99) 

—167— 
Exchange National Bank, 

Pittsburg, Pa. 
Gentlemen : 

Referring to our letter of some days ago and to par list, we wish 
to say that the majority 25 of the small banks of this state seem to have 
entered into an agreement to charge on all items that bear Eastern 
endorsements. Under these 50 conditions it is impossible for us to 
handle in future items on all the points that you have been sending us, 
without some charge. We 75 will, of course, par everything for you 
that we possibly can, charging you exactly what it costs us to handle 
items on which there is 10 ° any charge. 

We think it best to make you this explanation, and if you wish us 
to continue to handle these items, we assure you 125 that we will take 
them at as small a cost as possible. Yours very truly, 

(140) 

—168— 
Dear Sir: 

Agreeable to your request of the 28th instant, we are remitting 
for you at par $10,000 to the 25 Bank of New York, New York, for 
your credit and advice, and charge your account a like amount to 
cover. 

Awaiting your further commands, we 60 are 

Yours very truly, 

(54) 



BOOTS AND SHOES 



—169— 
Mr. F. G. Procter, 

Fort Worth, Texas. 
Dear Sir : 

Your favor of the 31st ultimo received. You are probably in- 
formed of the strike, which 25 has practically closed all the St. Louis 
shoe factories for some six weeks, and while conditions are improving 
and we are now operating our factory 50 in a moderate way, never- 
theless we will be unable to ship your goods immediately, for the 
stock we had cannot be replenished until new goods 75 are made. The 
demand has been so great that it has temporarily exhausted our 
supply. 

Inasmuch as we have started our factory again, we hope 10 ° to have 
these goods ready in the near future, and trust our forwarding them 

as soon as possible will meet with your approval. Yours truly, 

(125) 
—170— 
Dear Sir: 

We have at the present time more than one thousand exclusive 
Beacon agencies throughout the country, who are finding our stock 
department a 25 great convenience, and we trust that we may be able 
to serve you from this department this season. We believe the shoe 
business throughout the 50 country is very satisfactory with retail 
merchants, and that from this time on you will get your full share of 
this business. 

This is the 75 first season that we have carried this line in stock, 
and our agencies are finding it a great convenience. There is no 
question but that 10 ° it is greatly to your advantage to size up your 
Beacon line with Beacon shoes, rather than to buy other shoes at the 
same price m from jobbers, as we know the most successful merchants 
to-day will confine their lines. 

We sincerely hope that your business from now on throughout 
the 15 ° season will be more than satisfactory to you, and if you have 
not already placed your spring order for Beacon shoes with our sales- 
man, that m you will see your way clear to do so in a liberal way. 

Very respectfully yours, 

(191) 
64 



MODERN DICTATION 65 

— 171 — 

To Customers: 

Herewith samples of our Thanksgiving price-cards, and we hope 
that same will meet with your approval. 

The use of the price-cards is becoming 25 more and more of a 
necessity to the alert retail shoe dealer every day, and it is our desire 
to co-operate with you along this 50 line. 

We have not trimmed these cards, as many window dressers pre- 
fer to use them as border for their display. You can, however, trim 
them 75 in a short time. 

Let us know how many you need and we will send them at once. 

Yours truly, 

(95) 

—172— 
Dear Sir: 

This is in reply to yours of the 26th instant,- and we are pleased 
to state that the new lasts, samples of 25 which we showed you several 
weeks ago, have now been received by us, and we are in a position to 
start your order on these 50 shoes and can put the goods through the 
factory in a very short time. 

We can make for you the style shoes that you ask 75 for in both 
cloth and patent leather and tan Russian calf for $2.50. These are 
about the same style shoe that we are 10 ° making for a certain large 
retailer in Chicago, who is practically ordering this style shoe. If 
you will favor us with the sizes, 'and about 125 the style that you would 
want, we will turn out a first-class shoe. 

We remain Yours truly, 

(142) 

—173— 
Dear Sir: 

If some one in whom you had confidence came into your store 
and offered to give you for nothing advertising matter of different 25 
kinds, which experiment proved would considerably increase your busi- 
ness, would you turn him down? Certainly not. That is exactly 
what we propose to do for 50 you. All we ask is your earnest co- 
operation. 

We are spending thousands of dollars every season directly for 
your benefit, and we want you to 75 take advantage of it. If you do 
not take advantage of what we offer you, you are passing up a valuable 
aid to your business. 100 

5 



66 MODERN DICTATION 

On the other hand, if you will co-operate with us, you will inject 
new life into your regular business and increase your prestige as a 125 
wide-awake and up-to-date shoe dealer. 

We are prepared to show you how these results can be accom- 
plished, having spent thousands of dollars proving the proposition 150 
ourselves. Our statements are backed by fact and experience, as has 
been proven by the results obtained in the past by those of our cus- 
tomers 175 who have adopted these methods, and who are most en- 
thusiastic in continuing them. 

With your permission we shall be pleased to communicate with 
you further on 200 this subject, explaining every detail of our methods. 

Respectfully yours, 

(210) 

—174— 
Dear Sir: 

In response to your kind letter just received, we shall mail you 
soon in book form our complete plans for fall, but wish 25 you to advise 
us now, on the enclosed postal card, whether we can count on your 
co-operation. If you are going to be content to 50 carry the Red 
Cross Shoe without taking advantage of these helps to your business, 
we want to say to you again that you will be 75 missing an unusual op- 
portunity, as our aim is to look carefully to our dealers' interests, and 
to help them increase their business, not only on 10 ° the Red Cross 
Shoes, but on all of their other lines as well. 

We are writing you thus early about our plans, because they 
include 12B the mailing of an extremely handsome book, showing how 
this shoe differs from all others, and containing a beautiful exhibit of 
fall styles. There is 15 ° also an X-ray picture of the foot, with full 
explanation, which is highly educational as well as interesting to 
every one, especially in connection with 175 the convincing arguments. 

These books, imprinted with your name and address, we mail 
for you with an individual letter to each customer. 

We charge you 200 nothing for the labor of writing these individual 
letters, nor for the books with your name and address on them, which 
you could not duplicate 225 in the quantities you require, except at a 
prohibitive price. We only ask that you pay the postage of two cents 
per letter, as this 250 book and letter go in a sealed envelope at first- 
class rates. 

This feature of our advertising plan has proved so successful in 
the past 275 that we were compelled to issue no less than three editions 



MODERN DICTATION 67 

of our book for spring, and it was not nearly as large nor as 30 ° hand- 
some as the new one for fall; in fact, we regard the distribution of 
these books as an almost essential feature of the plan we 325 are going to 
outline for you in detail, and urge you therefore to get up your mailing 
list at the earliest possible date, and send 35 ° it in to us so that we may 
know just about how many of these books to reserve for you. 

The mailing of these books, 375 although to a certain extent inde- 
pendent of the rest of our helps, should be done by a certain date to 
fit in with other features 40 ° of our plan. To produce the greatest ef- 
fect, your customers ought to have them just about the time when 
our full page advertisement in the 425 Ladies' Home Journal will appear. 
As the time is very short, kindly send us your response at once. 

For your information, we enclose copy of 450 book sent out this 
spring. Our new one for fall will be even finer and more convincing. 

Respectfully, 

(468) 



—175— 

Mr. D. S. Singer, 

Butte, Mont. 
Dear Sir: 

I am just in receipt of a letter from our Mr. Carter, remarking 
on the quality and 25 general workmanship of the goods which we 
sent you. We are quite surprised* to learn that the goods did not 
come up to the standard 50 of Mr. Carter and that they really did not 
please you. 

He writes us to see that the order he sent in is made extra 75 good, 
both in workmanship and quality of material in the uppers. We are 
most desirous of pleasing you and building up a business with you. 100 
We realize that in order to do this, we must give you goods that will 
please you and on which you can realize some profit. We 125 shall 
look after your order carefully, and see that the workmanship as well 
as the upper stock is of the best. 

A month ago we put 15 ° in a new foreman in our shoemaking 
department, and also a new foreman in our cutting room; these are 
both high class, superior men on 175 fine shoes, away above anything 
we have had before. These men have always worked on the highest 
priced shoes, and are fully acquainted with the 20 ° requirements of 
extra high grade shoemaking. Yours very truly, 

(209) 



68 MODERN DICTATION 

—176— 
Dear Friend: 

I am out with my spring line of low shoes and will call upon you 
as soon as possible. I trust you will 25 wait for me and see the many 
improvements in our line, before placing your order for spring. 

So far, every order but one is an 50 increase over last year's busi- 
ness, which speaks well for what we have made, as well as for what we 
are making. 

Hoping to see you soon, 75 I am Sincerely yours, 

(79) 

—177— 
Gentlemen : 

We have written the Webb Shoe Company of Chicago, as usual, for 
sufficient woven labels for your goods, but they have written us that 25 
they have none in stock, and will not have any mOre of them, and 
therefore rather than delay your goods, we shall let them go 50 through 
the works without these labels. Very truly yours, 

(59) 
—178— 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of August 1st, we do not know why the 
Congress Shoes were shipped alone, as your instructions were to 25 
ship with previous order. 

We have just referred the matter to our shipping clerk, who seems 
to be under the impression that you wrote, 50 instructing us to ship 
the Vici Shoes as soon as possible, and the shipment was not therefore 
held back for the Congress. However, if you 75 think the mistake 
was ours, we will gladly stand our part of the freight charges. 

We trust that our shipment of to-day will open up 10 ° to your en- 
tire satisfaction, and thanking you for the order, 

Respectfully yours, 

(in) 
—179— 
Gentlemen: 

We have to-day entered claim against the Railroad Company for 
the pair of rubber boots which you were short on your last invoice 
of 25 August 15th, and will endeavor to secure an early settlement of 
claim for you, and when collected, we will credit to your account. 

Trusting 50 this will be satisfactory, and thanking you for past 
favors, we are Yours very truly, 

(65) 



MODERN DICTATION 69 

—180— 
Gentlemen: 

With the approach of cold weather, retailers are finding that 
their stocks need sizing up and that it is necessary to have their orders 25 
shipped immediately. For just such an emergency we carry a number 
of our medium priced lines in stock, and can ship orders the day they 50 
are received. 

We are anxious to serve you in these instances and beg to call 
your attention to the enclosed stock and price list. If 75 you do not 
need sizes at the present moment, kindly keep this list handy and call 
upon us when you do need them, and receive 10 ° instant service. 

Soliciting your business on these lines, we beg to remain 

Yours sincerely, 

(114) 
—181— 

Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 24th ultimo duly received. I am sorry to state 
that these samples were not shipped you as promised. 25 They were 
set aside for you and held according to postal instructions for later 
delivery. If you had written me previous to that time to 50 send them, 
there is some mistake, and I cannot find how the mistake occurred. 

We have, however, forwarded the case to-day and if there is 75 
any extra expense attached to this, we are willing to stand it, as I 
know it was arranged through our Mr. Cullen and me to 10 ° ship them 
out, which was not done. It was simply an oversight and I hope you 
will excuse us this time, and we assure you that 125 it will not occur in 
the future. Yours truly, 

(134) 

—182— 
Gentlemen: 

We reply to yours of the 24th, and will state that the tan shoes 
are being rushed through the factory as quickly as 25 possible, and 
it must be borne in mind that it takes time to make shoes, and es- 
pecially at the present time, owing to the fact 50 that all other factories 
and ourselves included are very busy, and the work that is ahead 
must be finished before new work can be taken 75 care of. 

The writer made a special effort to get some of the goods and 
found at the present time that a good many lots 10 ° are in our finish- 
ing room, and we expect to have them finished in a few days' time. 
Possibly before the end of the week we 125 will be able to make a com- 
plete shipment to you, which will be by express. Yours truly, 

(142) 



70 MODERN DICTATION 

—183— 
Dear Sir: 

At this season of the year one of the most trying things confront- 
ing a shoe merchant is to find what he wants when 25 he wants it. If 
you are an up-to-date shoe merchant, you will appreciate that this 
applies not only to sizes and widths, but to styles. 50 

How many merchants knew a year ago, when they were placing 
their fall orders, that brown calf boots were going to be popular this 
fall? 75 

How many merchants knew a year ago, when they were placing 
their orders for spring, that the tan Oxfords were going to sell as they 10 ° 
did? How many merchants knew last spring, when they were placing 
their fall orders, that brown calf boots were going to be popular this 
fall? 125 

The recent experience of shoe buyers should and will have a ten- 
dency to make them more conservative, due to the fact that some of 
the 15 ° most popular styles are brought out after future orders have 
all been placed. 

We have mailed you to-day under separate cover copy of our 
latest 175 catalog, and we will ask you to lay aside any prejudice that 
you may have, and give its contents your careful consideration. 

The line which 200 ~you have bought for fall may not be satisfac- 
tory, or the firm from whom you have made your purchase may be 
late in delivering, or 225 there may be styles for which you are having 
a call that you'overlooked in placing your orders. If any one of these 
three conditions 25 ° exists, give us a chance to convince you of our 
ability to help you build your business. Very truly yours, 

(270) 

—184— 
Mr. T. J. Polk, 

Seattle, Wash. 
Dear Sir: 

Our custom at this time of the year is to remind our friends, who 
usually order sales 25 books for the holiday trade, that now is the time 
to get in their order. 

Many appreciate our forethought and timely hint to look into 50 
such an important matter. 

We trust you will give this request your immediate attention. 

Yours truly, 

(66) 



MODERN DICTATION 71 

—185— 
Messrs. Ford & Cook, 

Portsmouth, Ohio. 
Gentlemen: 

We want to make you a partner in our business — not figuratively, 
but literally. Our business is the 25 manufacturing of advertising 
novelties, and you, in the course of a year, use a certain amount of ad- 
vertising novelties. We want, your friendship, co-operation and 50 
likewise your business. We feel that there is no better way to cement 
your friendship and secure your influence than by offering you a small 75 
amount of our preferred stock, believing that if you own some of our 
stock, you will endeavor to increase the earning capacity of it, by 10 ° 
your kind co-operation in speaking a good word for us whenever pos- 
sible. 

We are offering a limited amount of preferred stock at par, and 
with 125 each share of preferred we allot the purchaser one-half share 
of common stock. The preferred is a six per cent guaranteed stock 
and is retirable 15 ° at 105 any time after the first annual dividend has 
been paid. A sinking fund to retire this stock is provided from the 175 
earnings of the company. 

This is an exceptionally good investment, as the profits of the 
business are large and we will be able to pay 20 ° a good dividend on 
the common stock. With the money received from the sale of stock, 
we intend building a plant with a greater capacity 225 of production, 
and consequently greater earning powers, than our present facilities 
afford. Our business has outgrown in three months our present 
capacity, necessitating the change. 250 

If you are interested* we will be pleased to forward endorsement 
clippings from local papers and go into details, showing the progress 
of our business. 275 

Trusting to hear favorably from you regarding this matter, and if 
possible, immediately, as the allotment of stock is limited, we remain 

Sincerely yours, 

(299) 

—186— 
Gentlemen: 

Some time ago we sent you catalog, showing all styles carried on 
the floor in Chicago. Thinking you might have mislaid same, we are 
enclosing 25 one herewith. 

We hope that you will go through same carefully, as we know 



72 MODERN DICTATION 

there are styles listed therein that would prove quick sellers, and 50 
they are all reasonable, profit-allowing lines. 

A sample order will receive all the benefits of good service, which 
means quick delivery, clean goods, and the 75 help of the advertising 
department, which is maintained at the Chicago office. 

We have quick and effectual plans for popularizing our methods 
in your locality, 10 ° and should be glad to give you an outline of them. 
Place yourself in a position to satisfy the demands of a particular 
patronage. You 125 can do this by handling our goods. 

Our stock line consists of styles carried on widths from AA to EE. 
You are therefore 15 ° enabled to fit any sized foot without putting 
money in a large stock that would consist of a great many slow-movers. 
Our in-stock proposition overcomes 175 all this. 

We shall look forward toward receiving your request for samples- 

Yours truly, 

(189) 



FRUIT 



—187— 

Mr. W. C. Noble, 

46 West Street, New York City. 
Dear Sir: 

In accordance with your request, through the hands of W. C. 
Piatt, 25 for market report and information concerning expenses con- 
nected with the sale of fruit, we beg to say that the market has ad- 
vanced within a few 50 days, and we have no reason for expecting a 
decline in prices for some time, unless too liberal shipments are received. 
This, of course, would materially 75 affect the market. 

Our printed report for this week, enclosed, will inform you as to 
the prices current. We would impress upon you, before closing, 10 ° 
that carefully packed apples will always command a top figure. 

Yours truly, 

(112) 
—188— 
Mr. H. P. Porter, 

St. Paul Minn. 
Dear Sir: 

We are in receipt of your order through our Mr. Wallace for 
vegetables, but beg to advise 25 that we are out of apples at present, 
but expect a car in tomorrow, and upon arrival of same will ship by 
steamer, should we 50 not hear from you to the contrary. 

We shipped by mistake, to Mr. Evans, one barrel of apples, which 
are at your station unclaimed. Will 75 you kindly examine these 
apples and use them, and report to us immediately whether satisfactory 
or not? These apples should have gone to Mr. Moore, 10 ° instead of to 
Mr. Wallace. 

Awaiting your immediate reply, we remain 

Yours truly, 

(113) 



73 



BOOKS, STATIONERY, AND PUBLISHING 



—189— 
Dear Sir: 

We have your favor of the 11th instant and note what you say 
in regard to Masterpieces of American Literature. The express 25 
which you had to pay is exceedingly high, and of course prevents your 
making a great deal on these books. It was at your request 50 that we 
had them sent from the publishers by express ; however, we are glad 
you allowed us the privilege of doing so. We have not received 75 an 
invoice from the publishers for these books. As soon as we do we will 
re-bill to you, allowing a discount of 1-5 10 ° instead of 15 per cent. We 
do this on this special occasion, and you will understand that the 
future discounts will be the regular 125 15 per cent. • 

Trusting you will be able to come out a little ahead with this ad- 
ditional discount, we are Yours very truly, 

(149) 

—190— 
Dear Sir: 

The publishers make the price on the North American Review, 
which, beginning with the September number, is issued monthly, the 
retail price being 35c. 25 ; trade price, 28; returned within 60 days. We 
suggest if you want an order of this kind you should notify 50 us at 
once. 

We might add for your information that Junior Toilettes is not 

second class matter, and can only be sent by mail at 75 the rate of 8c. a 

pound, or regular express at tariff rates. Yours very truly, 

(91) 

—191— 
Gentlemen : 

On the 12th of August we forwarded you one Rubber Handle 
Cover for racker, and we noticed from the enclosed invoice, which was 25 
just returned to us from the postomce, that the goods were sent to 
Buffalo, instead of Rochester, New York. Did you ever receive them? 

Kindly 50 let us hear from you, and oblige 

Very truly yours, 

(60) 

74 



MODERN DICTATION 75 

—192— 

Dear Sir: 

The latter part of last year we made a special offer to our trade 
friends on our "Universal Atlas of the World," and 25 the proposition 
met with so much favor that we have decided to make a similar offer, 
same to hold good until after the coming holidays. 50 

As you are aware, this Atlas is a subscription publication, and 
previous to last winter had never before been offered to the trade, but 
as 75 stated above, we now deem it wise to renew said offer. 

A new edition of the Atlas, bearing date of 1907, was 10 ° turned 
out a short time ago, consequently we can fill your orders upon receipt 
with a new and up-to-date Atlas. 

Respectfully soliciting your orders, and 125 thanking you for past 
favors, we remain Yours very truly, 

(141) 

P. S. — We enclose herewith descriptive circular. 

—193— 
Mr. G. W. Munson, 

Parkersburg, W. Va. 
Dear Sir: 

We are in receipt of yours of July 23d, in which you wish our 
latest 25 catalog. Same will be mailed you to-day. When our repre- 
sentative called on you earlier in the year you placed an order for 
Bibles, etc., and 50 requested that same be sent for enclosure to the 
Peck Dry Goods Company. 

We filled the order promptly, and as requested, delivered it to 
this 75 concern; and are now very much surprised to receive a card, 
stating that they have been holding an enclosure from us for your 
house for 10 ° some time. 

No doubt it is the one sent them in March, and we cannot under- 
stand why it has not been shipped; so under the 125 circumstances ask 
you to look into the matter, and advise us of disposition, or write direct 
to the above firm. 

We sincerely regret this long 15 ° delay, but are in no way able to 
account for same. Respectfully yours, 

(163) 
—194— 

Dear Sir: 

In about two weeks we will issue the most important book of 
fiction that has come out of your state in many a 25 year, which you 
will find fully described in the prospectus enclosed to you herewith. 



76 MODERN DICTATION 

There is a wide-spread interest in this book throughout this state, 50 
and we know there is considerable interest in the volume in your com- 
munity. 

The price at retail is $1.50, and a discount to you 75 as to the rest 
of the trade. We do not issue our publications on consignment, un- 
sold copies returnable, but it does seem to us that 10 ° you could make 
up an order for us as an outright purchase. 

Awaiting your esteemed order, we are Yours truly, 

(120) 

—195— 
Dear Sir: 

From the demands for additional books made upon us by some of 
our representatives who have our State books on sale, we assume 25 
that in some localities the school term may have commenced earlier 
than usual, and we fear that in many instances the supply of our 
books 50 may not be sufficient to meet the requirements, owing to the 
fact that, as a matter of protection to our mutual interests, our ship- 
ments have 75 been made conservatively. 

As our contract provides that a report shall be made to us on or 
before the fifth of every month, we suggest 10 ° that you send us an 
inventory of the books now in your possession, and if necessary, at the 
same time, order any additional books which 125 in your judgment 
you may require. We should also appreciate a remittance covering 
the value of the sales, if any, to date. 

Trusting this will 15 ° prove satisfactory to you and that we shall 
be favored with an early reply, we remain Respectfully, 

(167) 

—196— 
Mr. Harry Turner, 

Cairo, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

As you are aware, the last Legislature passed a bill requiring that 
the subject of Agriculture be taught 25 in the public schools of your 
state. Owing to the great demand for a book on this subject, we are 
taking the liberty of sending 50 you, by prepaid express, with the privilege 
of returning unsold copies, several copies of Stevens and Hill's "Agri- 
culture for Beginners." We will ask that you keep these books on sale, 
and if you need any' 75 more we shall be glad to furnish same at 10 per 
cent discount, transportation prepaid, with the privilege of returning 
all unsold copies which 10 ° are in good condition. Books to be re- 
turned at our expense. 



MODERN DICTATION 77 

Trusting our action will meet with your approval and that you 
will dispose of 125 the books sent, and that we may receive additional 
orders from you, we are Very truly yours, 

(142) 
—197— 
Dear Sir: 

We have before us your order for fifteen Kelsey's Cicero. We 
are unable to supply these books in either second hand or shelfworn. 25 
We have therefore referred your order to another house, who no doubt 
will forward same to you promptly. Yours respectfully, 

(45) 

—198— 
Mr. T. P. Gardner, 

St. Paul, Minn. 
Dear Sir: 

We are sending you under separate cover a copy of one of the 
latest and most 25 popular books of fiction. This novel ran serially 
in Ainslee-s Magazine, a periodical which exercises the greatest care in 
selecting stories that will interest the 50 public. The editors of Ainslee's 
received from dealers and readers many proofs of the interest which the 
story aroused, and they rate it as an 75 unusually successful serial. 

We believe the author of this novel is one who deserves a wide- 
spread recognition in this country, and that the record of 10 ° his pre- 
vious efforts in novel writing, and the originality, interest and power of 
the story, justify us in making a determined effort to bring this 125 
book before the public. We shall accordingly advertise it extensively. 

We hope you will have time to read this book, and we shall greatly 
appreciate 150 a few lines from you expressing your opinion of it. 

Respectfully yours, 

(162) 
—199— 
Dear Sir: 

This is to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 23d instant, 
addressed to the Bowen-Merrill Publishing Company, our predecessors. 
We have ordered some jackets 25 of the Wideawake Library to be sent 
to you from the factory. We are enclosing you under another cover 
our 1907 catalog, 50 and desire to inform you that the same contains 
description of the newest and best books. 

Trusting we shall receive your valued order, we remain 75 

Yours very truly, 

(78) 



78 MODERN DICTATION 

—200— 
Gentlemen: 

We note your order given our representative, Mr. Potter, calls 
for one hundred and fifty United States histories. We are ordering 
same shipped from 25 New York at once. You do not state whether 
you wish them to come from your nearest distributing point or from 
New York direct, and 50 as the discount from the latter point is better, 
and as we have very few books at San Antonio, we are shipping from 
New York. Yours very truly, 

(78) 
—201— 
Messrs. Kirk & Martin, 

New Orleans, La. 
Gentlemen: 

You are just about to begin the most successful fall and holiday 
bookselling season in the history 25 of your house. And we have just 
concluded the most prosperous spring and summer business in the 
history of ours, by a tremendously encouraging percentage. 50 

If you have followed the list of the six best sellers, you will know 
that the leaflet herein enclosed gives description of those which have 75 
been continuously on this list since the date of publication. 

Won't you check up your stock with this list and let us have your 
order 10 ° in good time, so that you may have the books at the same time 
with the other dealers in your community? Remember in this con- 
nection 126 that we have a great stock of display matter always on hand 
and at your disposal. Respectfully yours, 

(143) 

—202— 
Gentlemen: 

On the 24th ultimo you advised us to cancel your back order and 
we have complied with your wishes, but we have just 25 noticed there 
are several items which we ordered special for you. On your order 
our representative noted, "Be sure and get," and as we were 50 unable 
to obtain them in the city, we thought best to order in special to accom- 
modate you and ship with your back order. 

These items are 75 now in the house, hence we should be pleased 
to have you advise us if we may ship them. If so, we shall forward 
at 10 ° once by express, charges prepaid. 

Kindly let us hear from you promptly, and oblige 

Respectfully, 

(115) 



MODERN DICTATION 79 

—203— 
Messrs. King & Co., 

91 John St., New York, N. Y. 
Gentlemen : 

I have your recent invoice, on which the fact is noted that 25 you 
have sent the last of your pens you now have in stock. Permit me to 
ask that you have another invoice made up, for 50 this order will not 
last us a great length of time. Perhaps before you can get them from 
the factory we will be in need 75 of them. 

With best wishes, Very truly yours, 

(83) 
—204— 
Mr. James West, 

316 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 
My dear Sir: 

In response to your letter, I enclose herewith a letter from 25 a 
young man whom I know to be very capable. If you will take the 
trouble to introduce him to your Mr. Brown, I would 50 like to know 
whether or not Mr. Brown is pleased with him before sending down 
any one else. The young man in question has good 75 experience in a 
business way, and is prepared, I believe, to handle any office business 
of the firm in whose interest you have 10 ° applied. I can show the best 
recommendations from the people by whom he has been employed, 
whose employ he left simply because he desired to 125 be in New 
York. Yours truly, 

(131) 

—205— 
Gentlemen : 

Yours of the 5th inst., in which you intimated your determination 
to commence hostilities in case my indebtedness to you remains longer 
uncanceled, is 25 before me. In reply I am compelled to say that it is 
impossible to comply with your wishes without committing a gross 
injustice toward my 50 other creditors. My books may be examined 
by you or any one interested or desirous of doing so. 

Now, as I am quite as anxious to 75 arrange for a settlement of 
some kind as you can be, I purpose making an offer to all to pay 75c. 
on a 10 ° dollar, payable in 6 months, with such security as will insure 
prompt payment of all my outstanding indebtedness. 

Hoping for a prompt acceptance of my 125 offer, I remain 

Yours truly, 

(130) 



80 MODERN DICTATION 

—206— 
Dear Sir: 

I explained to Mr. Cook that if this matter should come to a law- 
suit, there would be an expense of $300, whether 25 he should be suc- 
cessful or unsuccessful, and that, in view of the expense, it will be wise, 
from a business point of view, to accept 50 your proposition to pay 
$250. Mr. Cook, however, assures me that his loss will be $600, and 
under the circumstances, 75 you ought to pay $300 to settle up the 
entire matter. In view of your present relations with Mr. Cook and 
for the 10 ° loss which he will suffer, perhaps you will find it wise to pay 
the amount which he suggests. Yours truly, 

(120) 

—207— 
Mr. A. L. Anderson, 

Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

We have yours of the first inst., with list of prices and terms of 
settlement, for which prompt attention accept our thanks. In return 
we enclose order herewith, relying upon you to supply us with none 
but first-class articles which we can safely warrant. 

The items I have checked, you will perceive, are those distinguished 
in the list as being always in stock and ready to hand. These you will 
please forward immediately; others, as soon as procurable. 

Should there have been improvements upon any of the articles, 
please advise me without delay, holding this order subject to our reply. 
In the meantime we remain Yours respectfully, 

(120) 

—208— 
Gentlemen: 

We have heretofore issued the complete reports in parts, which 
were exchanged for.bound volumes when same were completed. There 
have been objections to 25 this method: it did not secure the prompt- 
ness desired, as we had to hold papers for some time for our thorough 
reporting, for revision and to 50 give official references. We hereafter 
issue advance sheets, which will be sent out immediately after the 
papers are handed down. These are intended for temporary 75 use 
until the book is published. One half of this amount also will be 
credited on bill when the completed reports are delivered. 

Yours truly, 

(100) 



MODERN DICTATION 81 

—209- 
Dear Sir: 

We have your letter in regard to the vacancy which we have in 
our establishment for a stenographer. We would like you to 25 give 
us the young lady s name, so that we may have her call here for an 
interview and trial. If her work is satisfactory, we 50 will give her 
$12, instead of $10. We hope she is a Remington operator, because 
this is the machine we use in 75 our office. Yours truly, 

(79) 
—210— 
Gentlemen: 

How soon can you deliver the books on which you gave us quota- 
tions by wire and confirmed by your favor of the 16th 25 inst? We 
will have to place the order where we can get quickest delivery, as we 
will have to get a supply of these books 50 at once. 

Please let us hear from you at once, and upon receipt of your 
reply we will place the order. Yours truly, 

(73) 
—211— 
Dear Sir: 

We have before us your valued favor, containing check for $53.25 
in payment of your account. We note you have 25 made correction 
for overcharge on catalogs, and wish to thank you for calling our at- 
tention to this error. 

We had written you a couple of 50 days ago, requesting remittance 
on this account, and desire to say in explanation for following our col- 
lections so closely, that we are compelled to meet 75 large obligations at 
this season of the year, and as our finances are somewhat limited, we 
have found it necessary to follow our collections even 10 ° closer than 
we would desire. 

Thanking you for past favors, and trusting that we may be favored 
with a portion of your future business, we 125 are 

Very respectfully yours, 

(129) 

—212— 
Dear Sir: 

We are much chagrined at the fact that, through no fault of ours, 
the second of the series of small books on advertising 25 which we had 
offered to send you has not reached you ere this. 

The reason for the delay has been unexpected trouble with printers 
and 50 binders, which has not yet been straightened out, and may make 
it still a few weeks before the second of the books reach you. 



82 MODERN DICTATION 

This 75 is in nowise our fault, but we feel it due to ourselves to 
write you, explaining the delay, and asking your indulgence. 

Yours very truly, 

(100) 

—213— 
Esteemed Subscriber: 

Your subscription to the Teacher's Professional Edition of "The 
Business Educator," expired some time ago, and much as we should 
like to, we 25 cannot continue sending you the journal without receiving 
your renewal. 

Our constant endeavor is to make the journal invaluable to the 
commercial school proprietor, the 50 commercial teacher, the commer- 
cial student, and especially to the penmanship teacher and student. 
And judging from the numerous letters we are receiving from the 
very 75 best authorities, commending the journal in the strongest terms, 
we believe we are succeeding in no small degree. At any rate, you 
will not wish 10 ° to miss the feast of good things we have in store for our 
readers during the coming year. 

If the address on our envelope is 125 correct, all you have to do 
is to place a one dollar bill in it and enclose this in another envelope, 
addressed to us. Upon 15 ° receipt we will enter your subscription for 
one year. 

If you do not wish to renew, will you not kindly drop us a line 
to 175 that effect, so that we can remove your name from our list and 
not bother you or ourselves further regarding the subscription. 

Yours enthusiastically in 20 ° the cause of commercial education in 
general and good penmanship in particular. Yours truly, 

(214) 

—214— 
Gentlemen: 

As we have not yet received your order for a Federal Electric 
Sign, we feel that we must write you again, for we know that our 
proposition is one that you can not afford to pass by, and one that will 
be a money maker for you, as it has been for thousands of other busi- 
ness men. 

Electric signs are now recognized as a most successful method 
of advertising, and it is only a question of time until you, as one of the 
prominent business men of your town, will be obliged to purchase. 
In view of this situation, you should by till means take advantage 
of our special proposition, which will allow you to get your sign at 
practically no cost to yourself. 



MODERN DICTATION 83 

Read the enclosed letters from Kansas and Washington men who 
have already received returns in commissions, and who are, in addi- 
tion, thoroly pleased with their Federal Signs. Unsolicited testi- 
monials show you that our proposition will do what we claim for it. 

Order quick and enjoy the benefits of enlarged trade from the 
Federal "salesman" during the Holiday season. 

Very truly yours, 

P. S. — Our festoons will remake your store. 

—215— 
To Our Customers: 

A business man doesn't always care to take the time to investi- 
gate the quality of his purchase. Sometimes, in fact quite often, 25 
he likes to repose confidence in the goods, and relies on the name. 
No one concerns himself about quality when he buys a Dunlap hat. 50 
He feels secure that the quality is there. 

In putting our American Bond letter paper on the market, we are 
making it possible for you 75 to get the best, and you can feel the same 
confidence in ordering it that you do in buying other trade mark goods, 
the reputation of 10 ° the firm being back of it. 

Specify American Bond for your next order and you will deter- 
mine to use it to the exclusion of all 125 others, for its quality is the 
best. Yours very truly, 

(135) 
—216— 
Gentlemen : 

Your valued order of the 7th, which was given to our representa- 
tive recently, duly received, and we shipped you by prepaid Adams 
Express, on 25 the 10th inst., the 100 sheets of Aurora, 8^ x 11, carbon 
paper, noting that the ribbons should 50 not be sent forward until later. 
Will you kindly advise us when these ribbons should be supplied to 
you, and we will make our records 75 accordingly and at the proper 
period will make shipment? 

Thanking you very kindly for the order which you extended to 
our Mr. Smith, and awaiting 10 ° your further commands, we are 

Very truly yours, 

(108) 
—217— 

Gentlemen : 

This will acknowledge your return on our letter of the 20th ultimo, 
and agreeable to your request we are to-day sending you under 25 
another cover such forms as you have expressed a desire to see. 



84 MODERN DICTATION 

We trust that these forms will reach you promptly and serve to 
increase 60 the efficiency of your present system. 

We have suggested to Messrs. Brand & Ford, sales managers of 
our Kansas office, that they have their representative 75 discuss these 
forms fully with you when next in your office, and explain how they 
may be applied to your work. 

Thanking you for your 100 inquiry, and assuring you that the as- 
sistance of the department is at all times at your service, we are 

Very truly yours, 

(122) 

—218— 
Dear Sir: 

The Diploma problem comforts us every spring, involving as it 
does a certain anxiety on the part of both school, and diploma maker. 
Dealing 25 as we do with thousands of schools, it is needless to tell 
you that May is a vexing month for us. Why not take up 50 the matter 
now — before the rush — and thus relieve your own mind as well as 
ours? Even though you may not know the precise number 75 required, 
a general understanding of your requirements would enable us to 
handle more expeditiously any order that you may place later. 

Prompt return of enclosed 10 ° postal, properly rilled, will enable 
us to write you fully and to the point with samples, etc. For 38 years 
our business has been 125 Diploma-making. Possibly (if we know the 
facts touching your special requirements) we could offer a practical 
suggestion. Very truly yours, 

(146) 



REAL ESTATE 



—219— 
Mr. W. L. McGregor y, 

La Crosse, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

We have investigated as to taxes on the property referred to in 
your favor of the 25 16th instant, and the collectors report nothing 
against same. It seems that it was not rendered in the name of the 
present owner. The 50 tenants are in arrears with the rent and there 
has been collected from them only $12. 

The insurance was $8; repairs, $3 75 .50; our commission, $10, 
leaving a balance of $2. We are after the tenant and will either have 
the property vacated 10 ° or more rent within the next few days. 

In future please address the firm, as same will come in due course 

of answering firm letters 125 and be attended to more promptly. 

Yours very truly, 

(134) 

—220— 
Dear Sir: 

The abstract and deed to the place you bought is all ready and 
the trade can be closed at any time. You may 25 forward the mone.y to 
Mr. James, and we will deliver the deed and abstract to him for record- 
ing. 

Please let us hear from you, as 50 the present owner is making 

arrangements to give you possession as soon as deed passes. 

Yours truly, 

(67) 

—221— 
Dear Sir: 

Probably you will think we are very persistent in writing you about 
the tract of land you own, which the records show to 25 contain 73 acres. 
Of course, you may not care to sell at all. If you do, however, we can 
find a buyer for it 50 at a fair price. The way the matter came up was 
that we made an abstract for the tract adjoining you, and found that 
the 75 land lapped over on yours, and took in about 25 acres. They 
were cutting on this twenty-five acres, and we advised them to 75 stop 

85 



86 MODERN DICTATION 

until a survey could be made to determine the lines. Of course, we had 
no special authority to do anything, as we are not 10 ° your agents. 

We have had an offer of $10 per acre cash, and we believe the party 
would pay $14. So 125 if you wish to sell at all and would be willing 
to pay the commission on the sale and furnish an abstract, we can 
do 15 ° business for you. Very truly yours, 

(156) 
—222— 
Dear Sir: 

Owing to our short crop of cotton and a general falling off of land 
buyers, we have had very little demand for timber 25 land lately. 
Last fall and during the year of 1907, we sold considerable timber 
land in the neighborhood of your property. There 50 was some talk 
of a railroad's being built thru that section, but that seems to have 
died out, and it is not likely that it 75 will be done. 

The new firm as above has been doing considerable business, and 
is well prepared to handle anything in the real estate line. 100 You may 
rest assured that we will lose no opportunity to find you a purchaser at 
the earliest possible time. Just at this time 125 we have nothing definite 
in sight. Yours truly, 

(133) 
—223— 
Mr. N. B. Wells, 

Terminal Building, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your inquiry of the 1st instant, it is possibly true 
that not more 25 than one-half the abstract to the whole tract of land 
is shown by the copy of the abstract we sent you. However, it shows 50 
title to the whole in J. B. Thomas and also some of his sales, and the 
balance of the tract owned by him, out of 75 which balance he has con- 
veyed to you. 

As you request, he has executed a bond for title which we send 
you, pending the completion of 10 ° the abstract to your satisfaction. 
In addition to this he makes you a general warranty deed. Mr. Thomas 
is worth many times more than the 125 value of the land, and if any- 
thing were wrong with the title to the tract, you could sue him on his 
warranty deed and force 15 ° him to make it good. We do not think, 
however, that this will be necessary, as we have talked with Mr. 
Thomas about this title 175 and he is perfectly willing to make any guar- 
antee that it is clear. Yours very truly, 

(191) 



MODERN DICTATION 87 

—224— 
Gentlemen: 

Regarding the matter of the property we were considering, the 
residence has ten rooms and could not be built to-day for less than 
$4, 25 000. It is in a good neighborhood, and while not occupied at 
present, it is fine rental property. The best and quickest way for 50 
you is to come to this city, if you wish to come to a definite conclusion, 
and look over the situation. Yours truly, 

(73) 
—225— 
Mr. J. D. Williams, 
Topeka, Kas. 
Dear Sir: 

The abstract which we enclose herewith is to the 42 acres Moore 
and Long survey. As 25 stated in our letter of recent date, the abstract 
is now as full as the records can show title. 

The other matter referred to can 50 be looked into and arranged 
later, and added if you can obtain a deed from the owner to cover the 
link left out between her 75 and the former owner. 

We presume there is some kinship between these two persons, but 
the records here do not show this. 

We enclose bill 10 ° for $65, which you will please remit, obliging 

Yours truly, 

(in) 
—226— 
Dear Sir: 

We control considerable farming land for sale, and if you desire a 
real estate 25 agent to look after the selling or renting of the land 
mentioned, we will give the matter our best attention. 

Should you wish us to 50 attend to this business for you, kindly 
give us full description of your property, location, etc. 

Yours truly, 

(68) 

—227— 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter to the County Clerk was passed by him to us for reply. 
We can without doubt fit you up in such 25 a place as you describe, 
somewhere in this locality. We are sending you separately our latest 
printed list of farm property, which will give you 50 a general idea in 
regard to prices, etc. Yours truly, 

(62) 



88 MODERN DICTATION 

—228— ' 
Dear Sir: 

Enclosed is deed to the 430 acre tract as suggested by our at- 
torney. We always advocate "striking while the iron is 25 hot," and 
if you feel disposed to this, kindly attach the deed to draft on us 
thru the First National Bank for $3,15 50 8.39, which is the amount 
less our commission of $165.48. 

We have the best information that our men have 75 ample means 
and that they are looking for just what we can show them in your 
territory. We are in hopes of selling them 10 ° all of your land north- 
west, and if you will give us a reasonable chance, we feel sure that we 
can make it profitable for you. 125 

Hoping to hear from you by return mail, we remain 

Yours truly, 

(137) 

—229— 
Dear Sir: 

Just about the time you left for the Springs, we succeeded in per- 
suading our client to come down to your price of $4 25 cash per acre, 
and that upon an immediate acceptance. 

We have no wish to hurry you, but we actually have a customer 
who is figuring 50 with us on 2,500 acres of this land at a fair price per 
acre. We are told this land is as good as 75 any of it, and we feel that 
if you buy it at $4 per acre, we will have done you a favor. 

We beg 10 ° to remain Very truly yours, 

(105) 

—230— 
Memphis Box Co., 

Memphis, Tenn. 
Gentlemen: 

Your inquiry of the 6th inst. received, and we are enclosing our 
printed list of Lamar County timber propositions. 25 These lands con- 
tain principally red and post oak and we conservatively believe that 
it will cut from three to five thousand feet per acre. This 50 is the 
thousand acre tract you spoke of. 

We now have seventeen hundred and twenty-four acres right on 
the Frisco Railroad, about the same 75 as the thousand acre tract. The 
lands northwest will cut more, probably six or seven thousand feet 
to the acre, and we know for a 10 ° certainty that the new Oklahoma 
Central Railroad will pass within two miles of most of it and will more 



MODERN DICTATION 89 

than likely go thru some of 125 it. The land when cleared will rent 
for from $2 to $4 per acre, and will sell for from $15 to 15 ° $25 per acre. 
Write us for further particulars, if you are interested in red or 
post oak timber lands. Yours truly, 

(173) 

—231— 
My dear Mrs. Smith: 

As requested we write you concerning the matter relative to the 
sale of your Main Street place. We saw our customer 25 this morning 
and the best offer we can get from him is $3,000 cash; out of this there 
must be an abstract 50 of title to date and all taxes paid, including 
1907, and a commission of 5 per cent. 

We presume you have an 75 abstract of title and it would only 
have to be brought down to date, which would cost but little. 

This party is looking at other 10 ° property and others are trying 
to sell him, and we must answer him right away, as you perhaps know 
there are a great many places 125 for sale in this city and unless we act 
at once we may lose this opportunity. 

If you accept this proposition, you might telephone or 15 ° tele- 
graph us. Yours truly, 

(154) 

—232— 
Dear Sir: 

Your telegram received, and we will write you fully as soon as we 
can see Mr. Mason and put the proposition before him. He is out of 
town to-day and will probably return tomorrow. 

In case we cannot come to some satisfactory agreement with Mr. 
Mason, we have two other people interested and it is probable that we 
can do some business with them if not with Mr. Mason. 

Yours very truly, 

—233— 
Dear Sir: 

Our client's attorney refused the title to the property, and ac- 
cording to our contract with our client, we return the deposit he made 
with us, as we were to be governed by his attorney's opinion. 

Two objections were as follows: nothing to show that John Vin- 
cent was the only heir of A. Vincent, and that there is no proof that 
Mr. James wrote a will. These are,, of course, objections, but we 
think our client's attorney has made a mountain out of a molehill. 



90 . MODERN DICTATION 

He advised him not to take the property, stating that the title 
could not be perfected to his satisfaction without proceedings in court 
to remove cloud as he sees it. This would require more time than our 
contract with our client would allow; therefore we ordered the draft 
and deed returned to you. 

We regret this, as we have worked very hard to consummate this 
transaction, and we have gone to a great deal of expense and virtually 
laid everything else aside to put it thru. But, however, we are not 
at all discouraged and we will go to work with renewed vim to sell this 
land, for we are confident that the title will stand the test, providing 
that it does not get into the hands of an attorney that is overly critical 
on Texas land title. Yours very truly, 

—234— 
Mr. F. G. Rogers, 

Little Rock, Ark. 
Dear Sir: 

We enclose herewith statement for an abstract that we got up for 
you and have turned same over to your attorney. Inasmuch as you 
still have left the best part of this tract to sell, you will have to have 
an abstract for the next purchaser, and we will hold your old abstract 
here subject to your order. We, however, expect to sell all this land 
for you within the next few days. 

If you remember, Mr. Jones's lawyer required that we get up a 
new and condensed abstract for this piece of land. 
Trusting that this is entirely satisfactory, we are 

Yours very truly, 

—235— 
Mr. James B. Kay, 

1151 John St., New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 30th inst. at hand and in reply would say that 
the store and basement, 152 Vine Street, must be rented together. 
We think that if you will make us an offer on a lease of two or three 
years, we might be able to secure the store and basement for you, and 
in case you had no use for the basement, we should have no difficulty 
in securing you a tenant for it. We have several parties talking in 
reference to rental of this store and we would urge prompt action, 
should you desire to secure it. 

Hoping to hear from you soon, we are 

Very truly yours, 



MODERN DICTATION 91 

—236— 
Mr. Robert Boyle, 

Johnston, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your kind letter reached me during my absence in Albany. I 
should be glad to avail myself 25 of your kind offer, provided the people 
who at present hold the mortgage do not insist upon retaining it, in 
which case I should feel obliged 50 to leave it with them, as they have 
been very courteous to me in all their dealings for many years. 

I have written to them 75 on the subject and shall expect to hear 
within a day or so, and will immediately advise you. 

Very truly yours, 

(97) 
—237— 
Mr. Robert S. Loomis, 

Oswego, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 28th inst. received. Send your customer along, and 
we will do the very 25 best we can with him. I think there is no doubt 
that we can sell him a tract that will suit him. Wire us when 50 he 
starts that we may meet him at the train. We have at present some 

very nice bargains on the cash basis. Yours truly, 

(74) 
—238— 
Mr. D. H. James, 

Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

We hand you abstract and also letter from the attorneys. There 
are some things they ask 25 for that they cannot get; never will get. 
Explain to them how matters are, and forward the abstract to them 
at Tipton, returning the letter 50 to us, and charging my account with 

same. Yours truly, 

(60) 
—239— 
Mr. R. Jackson, 

New Orleans, La. 
Dear Sir: 

Will you kindly favor us with settlement of your account? It 
would be especially acceptable at this 25 time, as we are under unusually 
heavy expenses, having had to make a considerable addition to our 
factory recently. This balance has been accumulating for 50 several 
months, as you will notice by referring to your books, and we doubt 
not that you will comply with our request in this instance. 75 

Yours very truly, 

(78) 



i)2 MODERN DICTATION 

—240— 
Mr. F. M. Scott, 

Milwaukee, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

Having finished my education, I am anxious to secure employment 
in some good house, and would respectfully 25 make application for a 
position with your firm. 

I am desirous of entering your establishment in the hope of gaining 
a thoro knowledge of the 50 mercantile business. I am 16 years of 
age. 

Should my request be favorably received, I shall conscientiously 
endeavor to merit whatever confidence you may 75 repose in me. 

Yours very respectfully, 

(81) 



—241— 

Messrs. J. B. Farmer & Co., 

City. 
Gentlemen : 

In reply to your favor of the 10th inst., we would say that the 
house of 25 J. B. Jones & Company is in first-class standing, and in our 
opinion will assume no indebtedness for which they are not amply 
responsible. 50 We have full confidence in both their integrity and 
solvency. Respectfully yours, 

(62) 



—242— 

Mr. Henry D. Davis, 

254 Dean St., New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of July 3d is just received. I have 25 to-day given a 
letter of recommendation and introduction to a young man named 
William H. Scott. While not an experienced stenographer, he is a 
capable 50 young man of highest character, and one whom I believe to 
be able to give you good service. 

Mr. Scott will present his letter in 75 the next few days, and I hope 
you will consider his claims favorably. Very truly yours, 

(91) 



MODERN DICTATION 93 

—243— 
Mr. R. L. Harding, 

Milwaukee, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

I have been your tenant for over seven years and have always 
been prompt in paying my 25 rent when due, but owing to the destruc- 
tion of our factory by fire and the impossibility of obtaining employ- 
ment at present, I am obliged to 50 ask your indulgence for a short 
period. I am confident of soon securing another situation similar to 
the one I held in the factory, and 75 will promptly cancel my indebted- 
ness to you. 

Regretting the necessity that forces me to ask for further time, I 
am Yours very respectfully, 

(98) 

—244— 
Mr. James Black, 

44 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. 
My dear Sir: 

Messrs. Smith & Jones, managers of the Exchange, offer to lease 25 
the second floor of your building, No. 211 Main Street, at a yearly rental 
of $1,000, for the term of one 50 year from May 1st, with the privilege 
of renewing for one more year. While I send the boy up to you to 
find out if 75 you will accept their offer, I am at the same time investigat- 
ing their references. If they prove satisfactory, will you allow me to 
close with 10 ° them to-day on the above conditions, as they have several 
other places in mind, and are anxious to have the matter settled this 
afternoon? Very 125 truly yours, 

(127) 



DRUGS. 



—245— 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your letter of the 4th instant we beg to advise that 
if our representative, Dr. Morrison, named you a delivered price 25 
on 1-10 gallon can of Kreso Disinfectant, it was an error on his part 
and we are compelled to confirm the correctness of 50 our charge for 
freight on the 1-10 gallon can of Kreso included in shipment of Octo- 
ber 10th. 

It is true that we 75 made no charge for freight on ten one-gallon 
cans of this product invoiced 10-19, as we allow freight on gallon cans 10 ° 
when ordered in not less than ten one-gallon lots. 

Trusting our advices are acceptable, we remain 

Very truly yours, 

(120) 

—246— 
Dear Sir: 

Our Mr. Porter reports that you had in stock five pint Glycero- 
pnosphates Comp. which was in an unsaleable condition. If the pro- 
duct has 25 not been destroyed, kindly thus dispose of it and accept 
the enclosed credit memorandum for $3.25 to protect you from loss. 

Yours very truly, 

(51) 

—247— 
Dear Sir: 

We are to-day in receipt of a communication from our Mr. Burk, 
advising us not to overlook the freight when we forward you 25 credit 
memorandum, covering the one hundred pounds of Putty that we 
failed to ship but billed recently. We regret very much to advise 
that we 50 did overlook that portion of the credit and we are enclosing 
herewith our memorandum for 96c, which amount represents the freight 
charges 75 on the one hundred pounds which you were charged with. 

Trusting that you will find same satisfactory and that you will 
accept our apology for 10 ° not having same on your previous credit, we 

beg to remain Very truly yours, 

(114) 
94 



MODERN DICTATION ' 95 

—248— 
Dear Sir: 

We duly received your favor of October 15th in which you acknowl- 
edge receipt of goods which were shipped you on September 5th, 25 
stating you are short one dozen harness soap, and requesting that 
we give you credit accordingly. Did not your invoice bear notation 
to the effect that 50 the harness soap was short, but would follow shortly? 
We think it did. 

We wish to advise that this harness soap went forward on October 75 
17th, charges prepaid, and you will undoubtedly be in receipt of same 
in the near future. We are sorry that we were obliged to 10 ° omit the 
harness soap from the original shipment, but We were out of con- 
tainers in which this preparation is put up and we were unable 125 to 
obtain same at that time, but as soon as we were in receipt of same, 
your harness soap was forwarded. 

Trusting that this explains 15 ° matters satisfactorily, we are 

Very truly yours, 

(157) 
—249— 
Dear Sir: 

We received your remittance of the 8th instant in settlement of 
the balance due on your October account, and we have failed to 25 
acknowledge receipt for the reason that you mention some shortages, 
and we held the matter up until Mr. Ford came in, as he requested this 50 
by letter in such a way we cannot understand what he means and we 
wanted him to interpret the matter for us. We will give 78 these 
matters attention at the earliest opportunity. 

We remain, with kindest regards, Yours very truly, 

(90) 

—250— 
Dear Sir: 

We are in receipt of your communication of November 12th, and 
we note with regret that you have not as yet received 25 our shipment 
to you of October 25th. We are to-day placing tracer on this ship- 
ment and trust that our action in so doing will 50 serve in effecting a 
prompt delivery of your goods. In the event that you do not receive 
the same in the immediate future, kindly forward 75 us your expense 
bill and we shall be pleased to file claim in your behalf. 

Thanking you for this opportunity to be of service, which 10 ° we 

assure you we are at all times pleased to do, we are, with kindest regards, 

Very truly yours, 

(119) 



96 MODERN DICTATION 

—251— 
Dear Sir: 

Your order of the 7th instant is received, and we send the goods 
by Wells, Fargo Express, which we 25 hope may reach you in perfect 
condition. You will find bill enclosed herewith. 

The charge per dozen we make you is same as in 50 gross lots, on 
account of excessive express charges, which will be $3. Our price for 
one dozen is $7.50. 

We should like 75 you to take exclusive agency for your city, and 
with a little judicious advertising, we can make it interesting for you. 

Thanking you for the 10 ° favor and hoping we may hear from you 
often, we are Yours very truly, 

(114) 
—252— 
Dear Sir: 

We take pleasure in informing you that the perfumed handker- 
chiefs and other advertising matter have been mailed to your cus- 
tomers, and we hope 25 you will notice the effect of this advertising 
very soon. There has been some little delay in getting it out, owing 
to the fact that 50 the manufacturers have been unable to keep us sup- 
plied with the necessary handkerchiefs. 

Thanking you for your interest and promising our future co-opera- 
tion, we remain 75 Yours very truly, 

(78) 



DRY GOODS. 



—253— 
Dear Madam: 

In presenting you this booklet of the latest fall and winter styles 
in ladies', misses' and children's ready-to-wear garments, we invite you 
to 25 what is beyond a doubt the largest and most comprehensive 
gathering of outer garments that will prove a revelation to you — a 
convention of the 50 best ideas of the master minds in the construction 
of ready-to-wear garments. These garments are the construction of 
the best tailors, whose ingenious ideas are 75 responsible for many of 
the reigning fashions this season, and they will irresistibly impress 
those who admire and desire things unusual. The artistic touches 
of 10 ° the skilled tailors shine forth from every stitch. 

We will enaugurate a special sale of these garments, commencing 
Monday, November 5th, and continue the sale 125 throughout the week. 
It will be an opportunity for money saving which you should not miss. 

Awaiting your inspection, we are Yours very truly, 

(149) 

—254— 
Dear Madam: 

We beg to announce our spring opening Wednesday, March 20th, 
and earnestly hope that you will find it convenient to attend, assuring 25 
you that the display will be found interesting, instructive and well 
worth your visit. Special price inducements that we cannot mention 
here have been arranged 50 for the opening day, and you may combine 
business with pleasure, and find a considerable saving in taking ad- 
vantage of these special price inducements. In 75 addition to these 
price inducements for opening day, we are going to pay your railroad 
fare where your purchases from us amount to as much 10 ° as $1 for each 
mile that you travel. If you travel ten miles and spend $10, your fare 
will be refunded, or if 125 you travel fifty miles and only spend $30 
your fare will be refunded for thirty miles. 

'We enclose herewith a small booklet, showing 15 ° the most popular 
styles in ladies ready-to-wear goods for this season, and wish to, 
announce that our showing in this department is far superior to 175 

97 



98 MODERN DICTATION 

any past efforts. You'll find the styles shown in this booklet in all 
materials and at prices that really represent the completed garments 
for little 20 ° more than cost of materials. If you cannot attend our 
spring display, send us your order by mail. Our mail order depart- 
ment is perfectly satisfactory. 225 

We have arranged for your entertainment next Wednesday. Please 
do not disappoint us. Yours very truly, 

(241) 

—255— 
Dear Sir: 

We would like to ask you one question: Do you trade where you 
can buy good goods the cheapest? Or are you wedded 25 to some per- 
sonal friendship that leads you to pay any price that a friend may ask? 

Would it not be a wise thing for you 50 to think of this just a min- 
ute? The money which you save in buying goods of us is worth the 
same to you as the 75 money you make by your labor or in selling your 
cotton or your corn, your wheat, or your oats. You would not sell your 
products 10 ° to a buyer whose bid was lower than the other fellow's. 
You should use the same care and good judgment in the buying of 
your 125 goods, and get the best you possibly can for the least money. 

Many merchants this spring, in fact most all of them, are talking 
advanced 15 ° prices, the highest prices known for many years. As a 
rule this is true, but this is where we again demonstrate our ability 
and claim 175 to save you money at all times. Anticipating just such 
an opportunity, the bulk of our enormous purchases were made before 
these heavy advances, and 20 ° the results are that we are offering to- 
day many items at a less price than was ever before quoted. 

We are trying to give you 225 here some common sense talk, stating 
facts that are founded on reason and sound business forethought and 
judgment, and we want to have the opportunity 250 to prove to you 
that we are doing just what we claim here, by your coming to our store 
and seeing for yourself the goods 275 advertised on the enclosed price 
list. 

Our stocks this season are larger than ever before, and there*s 
enough goods here for every one to whom 30 ° this letter goes. 

We wish to thank you kindly for your business of the past, and we 
are anxious for you to take advantage of 325 this opportunity to save 
money on your purchases from us this spring. 

Yours very truly, 

(340) 



MODERN DICTATION 99 

—256— 
Dear Sir: 

We do not make high class creations of Parisian flavor, such as 
are seen on boulevards and at the opera — that's out of 25 our line — 
but we do make cloaks and suits such as the everyday American re- 
tailer needs, such as are the backbone of every cloak department. 50 

No Parisian creations, however, receives more attention, either 
in design or workmanship, than does the lowest priced sample on our 
racks. Regardless of our prices, 75 which are always lower than the 
lowest, we feel that this care to detail is responsible for our enormous 
growth, for the retailer realizes that 10 ° while the prices he pays for 
our line are far below the market, yet he gets style, workmanship and 
finish that are above the cloak 125 manufacturer's average. 

"We accomplished this by various means and modifications of the 
methods usually employed by manufacturers. 

Respectfully yours, 

(144) 

—257— 
Gentlemen : 

From the merchandising, advertising and selling point, our line 
offers you elements of strength that will put your department in the 
front rank 25 in volume of sales, profits and estimation of your cus- 
tomers. 

It is doing it for others; it will do it for you, but you will 50 have 
to act promptly. 

Hoping we may hear from you, when we will, for your convenience, 

give you the list of our display locations, we are 

Yours 75 very truly, 

(77) 

—258— 
Mr. J. D. Patterson, 

Denver, Col. 
Dear Sir: 

What retailer makes the most satisfactory garment profits? Let's 
answer that question by asking this one : What 25 retailer has the 
most satisfactory garment business? Certainly not the one that de- 
pends on the style alone. Not the one that is satisfied with one 50 
season's profits, and not the dealer who has the goods but not the 
styles. Satisfactory garment profits depend on both style and 
quality. 



100 MODERN DICTATION 

Our garments 75 afford apportunity for the most satisfactory 
business and the greatest profits, because they win for you business 
that will keep coming, year after year. 

The 10 ° proof is in the garments and our large list of satisfied 
customers. Our selling helps will put you on the right track, and assist 
you 125 in building up a profitable business that will stay with you. 

Yours very truly, 

(139) 

—259— 
Mr. J. W. Goode, 

Gains ville, Texas. 
Dear Sir: 

Our newspaper agency stands for a great deal more than so- 
called advertising. It maintains with its clients 25 a relation that 
begins with the raw product room of the factory. It shows how new 
and profitable products may be developed; how existing lines 50 may 
be bettered and strengthened; secures distribution among thousands 
of retail stores for worthy merchandise; and reaches the actual cus- 
tomers of those stores in a 75 way that insures sales. 

We shall be glad to discuss with manufacturers, not mere adver- 
tising, but sane economical ways of selling more goods at better 10 ° 
profits. 

Soliciting your valued patronage, we are 

Yours respectfully, 

(109) 

—260— 
Dear Sir: 

For the past year, owing to advance contracts, our departments 
have stood as buffer between the manufacturer and buyer. Our prices 
were lower 25 than true market conditions demanded. A readjust- 
ment is necessary. Manufacturers have been advancing prices steadily, 
and all merchandise under old contracts is a thing of 50 the past. 

Buyers must face these conditions now. They can no longer 
temporize with this situation, but must meet the issue squarely. 

Yarns have advanced 75 in some instances over 100 per cent, labor, 
and all other items entering into the production of hosiery and under- 
wear, have increased 10 ° in proportion; it is obvious that in the face 
of such conditions that the problem before us is to maintain qualities. 

We respectfully request that 125 you allow us the privilege of sub- 
mitting you samples of our line. Yours very truly, 

(140) 



MODERN DICTATION 101 

—261— 
Mr. L. James Taylor, 

Newark, N. J. 
Dear Sir: 

We hereby call special attention to our stock of merchandise for 
the fall season, which is 25 now complete in all its departments. By 
reason of early and favorable contracts with the mills, we are enabled 
to make prompt deliveries of many 50 of the most desirable and popular 
brands of goods — which would otherwise be out of the question — 
and at prices materially below present values. 

In 75 printed and woven wash fabrics, ginghams, percales, flan- 
nellets, plain and fancy dress goods — foreign and domestic — silks, 
white goods and linens, our assortment will be 10 ° found such as cannot 
be surpassed in any market. 

The several departments of our house vie with each other in a 
generous rivalry for the 125 first rank in attractiveness and general 
efficiency. Special and prompt attention paid to orders. 

Yours very truly, 

(142) 

—262— 
Gentlemen : 

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do to-day, for to- 
morrow you may wake up to the fact that you have been losing 25 
time and money in neglecting to carry cut order carpets. By conduct- 
ing your department in the cut order way, you are saving yourself 
endless expense 50 and worry. Because you actually seil the goods 
before you order them, your capital can be making money for you in 
other ways, instead of 75 being tied up in a lot of bulky stock, which 
also takes up valuable room. 

We make prompt shipments on all orders. It's time the 10 ° line 
of our carpets were in your stock. Write for catalog and full informa- 
tion. Yours very truly, 

(117) 

—263— 
Gentlemen: 

I called on a retailer yesterday who put in our line for the first 
time, when I was on my last trip. He beamed 25 when he saw me com- 
ing, and I could see things had been going pretty well with him. 

"You know," he said, "I'd been handling carpets 50 for thirty 
years and always carried roll stock, and I thought business was going 



102 MODERN DICTATION 

pretty well. However, I realized that my competitors were getting a 75 
little bit ahead of me. That cut order proposition of yours appealed 
to me from the start. I tried it as you know, with the 10 ° result that 
I do more carpet business now than any two of them put together. As 
a matter of fact, I haven't had a customer 125 go out of the store without 
finding just what he was looking for." Yours truly, 

(140) 

—264— 
Mr. V. L. Mathews, 
Madison, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

The Meyers Print Works have, by special processes, produced 
a new and serviceable fabric in which is 25 shown, not only all the 
staple styles, but also a wide range of woven novelty Madras effects, 
as perfect in every way and in colors 50 as lasting as any yarn-dyed 
cotton goods ever produced. 

Strength, durability and beauty of our Scotch cloth will appeal 
to the retail trade and the 75 consuming public. The goods are full 
yard pieces, flat fold, with handsome cloth bands. Samples and goods 
will be in jobber's stocks and will be 100 ready for delivery early in 
September. 

May we not hear from you as to your wants for next season? 

Respectfully, 

(121) 

—265— 
Dear Sir: 

There is probably not a buyer of dress goods from Maine to Cali- 
fornia, who does not know Lansdown, to which fabric our name 25 as 
sole manufacturers has been identified for many years. Adaptable 
for all costumes and all occasions. The prevailing style of dress makes it 
one of 50 fashion's favorites for this fall and spring. 

You can throw a piece of our fabrics on your counter with the 
assurance that you are giving 75 your customer good straight worsted, 
not disguised or adulterated, as we have never learned the art of adul- 
teration. 

The line includes plain and fancy dress 10 ° goods, serges, cheviots, 
striped and fancy suitings, panamas, voiles, etc. 

Trusting we may be favored with a trial order, we are 

Respectfully yours, 

(122) 



MODERN DICTATION 103 

—266— 
Mr. Thomas Rink, 

Indianapolis, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

Some men think that success is a mere matter of advertising; 
hence, they attribute our rapid growth, our M immense clientele, and 
our enormous output to advertising. However, we know better. 
Our success lies in the goods ; in the splendid values which we offer 50 
and deliver. Reputation and confidence are a treasured asset. We 
have earned them both, and we mean to hold them. 

Our line comprises everything from 75 a 50c neckpiece to a choice 
$300 coat. We're particularly strong on mink, watermink, foxes of 
of all kinds, squirrel, natural 10 ° or blended, etc. We own immense 
quantities of most desirable fur stock. 

We employ no salesmen to sell our goods. We eliminate from 
our prices 25 the cost of the men's salaries, commissions, traveling and 
other expenses, and it makes a difference of from 123^ per cent to 50 
20 per cent in your favor. We attend promptly and execute carefully 
every order, large or small, special orders, alteration work and repairs. 

We 75 solicit your fur trade solely on the merit of our goods and 
the value of our merchandise. 

Hoping we may have your valued order for 10 ° your fall and winter 

supply, we are Yours very truly, 

(210) 

—267— 
Dear Sir: 

Both retailers and manufacturers have acknowledged the re- 
markable success of different innovations introduced by Goodman & 
Company. The largest success and the 25 largest we have ever made 
is the little women's line. 

These are not misses' skirts, they are designed and made especially 
for little women, who 50 comprise practically one-half of every mer- 
chant's trade. 

The style of a skirt, designed for a woman who wears a 40 to 44 75 
length, will not appeal to the small woman who wears a 36 to 39 
length. This feature of style has been overlooked by 10 ° the average 
manufacturer and is one of the most important items in the Goodman 
idea. 

Fashion and fit are absolutely necessary to profitable selling. 
Our 125 little women's line assures these qualities and saves 80 per cent 
of the alterations. 



104 MODERN DICTATION 

Ask your friends who have handled our little women's line 15 ° 
and let them tell you what a hit they have made. 
See us when in the market, or write for samples. 

Yours very truly, 

(174) 

—268— 
Mr. D. W. Sprague, 

Cleveland, Ohio. 
Dear Sir: 

We have studied the retail situation from A to Z, and have moulded 
our methods so as 25 to conform to the needs of the glove buyers. Our 
$200,000 stock of fabric gloves, including all styles, lengths and colors, 
is 50 at your service to make your selections from, and the prompter 
your action in this matter the quicker will be your deliveries. 

This is the 75 age of hustle and our methods are live enough to 

meet the requirements of the liveliest retailers. We do things on the 

jump — no waits 10 ° on promises. A card or a wire, stating your needs, 

and we deliver the goods. Yours truly, 

(117) 

—269— 
Gentlemen : 

The total destruction of our plant by fire March 6th, proved a 
blessing in disguise, for in rebuilding we have made radical improve- 
ments that 25 will help us to make our brand of umbrellas better than 
ever before and to facilitate deliveries. 

The new factory, entirely rebuilt, is equipped 50 with every avail- 
able modern facility, and our own electric plant furnishes light and 
power. We have added 10,000 square feet of floor space. 75 In a word, 
the new plant is everything it ought to be to keep pace with the in- 
creasing demand for our products. 

Come and see 10 ° us. Respectfully, 

(102) 

Brown & Gowdy, — 270 — 

Syracuse, N. Y. 
Gentlemen : 

We are not dame fortune, and we do not propose to boost any 
one up any pinnacles; nevertheless, 25 if you sell ribbons, we can give 
you some effective and reasonable help. The more reliable the qualities 
and the wider the range of the 50 stock you carry, the better your chances 
for developing a sound and growing trade, our ribbons being made for 
the purpose of helping you easily 75 and quickly in such development. 

Our Columbia brand of taffeta ribbon stands out pre-eminently 



MODERN DICTATION 105 

as the best thing on the market for the money, one 10 ° of the strongest 
magnets in any ribbon department, one of the reliable stand-bys that 
make business a pleasure as well as a profit. 

Please give 125 us the liberty of quoting you prices. 

Yours very truly, 

(135) 
Mr. Y. O. Craig, —271— 

Lynn, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

We are returning you to-day the two hundred skins so kindly 
loaned us for window display, and 25 wish to thank you for the. same. 
You would hardly believe the difference it makes in one's business to 
give a trim of this kind. 50 We had two large windows, and our busi- 
ness increased two hundred per cent during the ten days we had them 
in. While we had a 75 large assortment of Russia calf in women's and 
children's, the golden brown kid was the call. Colors run so evenly, 
and the skin is so 10 ° soft and smooth that we think it is the ideal shoe 
for summer wear. 

If dealers would confine themselves to one color, instead of a 125 

thousand and one shades, they would have a much cleaner stock, and 

a great deal larger per cent of profit. We have orders in on these 15 ° 

goods for August, all of which shows how they are going to sell here in 

Columbus. 

With best wishes, I beg to remain, Very truly 175 yours, 

(176) 

Mr. M. N. Bain, —272— 

Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sir: 

We enclose you statement for invoice of February 2d, amounting 
to $14. We have made 25 several drafts on you for this invoice, and 
you have returned same each time with the statement that you intend 
shipping the goods back to 50 us, but as we have received no com- 
munication from you as to your having shipped these goods, we fail 
to understand why you so often 75 make this excuse or do not fulfil 
your promise. 

We have no doubt but that if you had a customer who had goods 
which you 10 ° had shipped him, and he refused to pay, with promises 
of returning same, that you would insist upon his doing one thing or 
the other. 125 Now we ask if you will be kind enough to acknowledge 
if you intend paying for these goods, or returning them to us? 

Yours truly, (150) 



106 MODERN DICTATION 

—273— 
Mr. R. L. Barnum, 
Denver, Col. 
Dear Sir: 

We are greatly concerned to hear in yours of the 6th inst., of the 
inferior quality of 25 goods sent you last. We gave the matter our im- 
mediate attention, and discovered that the blunder was the fault of 
one of our young men 50 who in selecting, chose the lot of goods we 
intended for the auction room. 

In order to rectify his mistake, and prevent as soon as 75 possible 
the vexation and inconvenience the matter must cause you, we hasten 
to notify you of the shipment this day of a much higher grade 10 ° of 
goods, as per inclosed invoice, which we feel assured will meet with 
your approbation. In the meantime you will oblige us in reshipping 
the 125 others at your earliest convenience, charging freight and all 
expenses to our account. 

Regretting the annoyance, and with many thanks for your high 

opinion, believe 15 ° us to be Yours respectfully, 

(155) 
—274— 
Mr. G. F. Allen, 

Springfield, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

In reply to your letter of the 21st inst. , which came to hand to-day, 
we would 25 say that the goods ordered by you were sent as requested 
to your address on the day mentioned by you in your letter. Perhaps 
they 50 have been delayed by some accident and you might be able to 
find out something about them by inquiring at the freight office of the 75 
railway company there. At any rate, we cannot be held responsible 
for the loss of the goods in case you should not find them, 100 as we 
hold a receipt of the company here. We believe that they will yet 
reach you. 

As to further orders from you, we trust 125 we shall be favored 

with same, as we do everything in our power to please our customers 

and make shipment as promptly as possible. 150 Yours truly, 

(152) 

—275— 
Messrs. Briggs & Scott, 

Albany, N. Y. 
Gentlemen : 

I find my business increasing so rapidly that my capital is insuffi- 
cient to meet its requirements. 25 As you have doubtless noticed my 



MODERN DICTATION 107 

orders to you for some time back have been gradually increasing, I 
want to assure you that this is 50 simply the result of a healthy increase 
of business, and not to any irregularity or careless extension of it. 

The long credit I am obliged 75 to give, and this inadequacy of 
capital, which prevents me from carrying a sufficient stock, necessarily 
places me at a disadvantage in filling orders, in 10 ° consequence of which, 
trusting that you have every confidence in me, I would ask your ac- 
ceptance of my note at 90 days for the 125 amount of your bill, which 
act of concession on your part will assist me materially in meeting 
my obligations. 

Asking for your reply at your 150 earliest convenience, I am 

Yours truly, 

(157) 

- —276— 
American Express Company, 

New York City. 
Gentlemen : 

Two packages of value, delivered to your company on the loth 
inst. for transmission to Mr. A. 25 B. Minor, have not arrived at their 
destination. Should the same not reach him by tomorrow night, we 
shall forward duplicate contents of each package, 50 and hold your 
company responsible for cost of articles, and all damage resulting 
from delay. 

It is proper that we also apprise you of the 75 fact that it is neces- 
sary that the goods should be delivered before tomorrow night, for. if 
they are not, their recovery will be of no 10 ° use. 

Hoping your inquiries may lead to an early discovery of their 
whereabouts, we are Yours truly, 

(117) 

—277— 
Dear Sir: 

We want to sell you your new fall suit, and are sending you this 
catalog of the fall styles to acquaint you with 25 the fact that we sell 
the best boys' clothes. that you can possibly find — "The Royal Brand." 
Every suit is sold under a strict guarantee 50 to give perfect satisfac- 
tion. 

Our stock this season surpasses any we have hitherto shown, in 
variety, in beauty of styles and in sterling worth. 

Every 75 "Royal Brand" suit has patent buttons, best quality 



108 MODERN DICTATION 

waist bands, all seams are well sewed and will not rip with ordinary 
wear and tear. They 10 ° are as carefully and as correctly tailored as 
the high class suits for men. 

We want to have the pleasure of showing you, even if 125 we do not 
sell you a suit; but we feel certain with the great assortment and the 
extremely low prices at which we are selling 150 these suits, we can 
please you. 

Look through the booklet carefully, select the style you want and 
come to see us at your earliest convenience. 175 

Yours very truly, 

(181) 

—278— 
Mr. John Spicer, 

44 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I write in response to your letter of the 4th, to say that 25 as it is a 
small matter, you can send us the goods ordered. We do not need the 
goods as yet, and will not need 50 them for a month or more. At the 
time they were ordered of your Mr. Miller, we thought we were more 
in need of them 75 than we afterwards discovered, but since the holding 
of an order is an annoying sort of thing, you may either cancel the 
order or send 10 ° the goods along, just as you prefer. We will use them 
in time. If you ship the goods earlier than October 1st, date the bill 125 
then, for we do not need them now, and won't before the date men- 
tioned. Very truly yours, 

(142) 

—279— 
Mr. George Green, 

32 Broad St., Albany, N. Y. 
My dear Sir: 

We have your letter of the 16th inst., and in reply 25 to same beg 
to say that we are not willing to give up our claim against you at any 
such discount. 

We took your order 50 in good faith, and as the goods are now 
prepared, we shall not recall it, but will hold you to the contract, which 
will not 75 be changed in any way. On the first of next month we 
shall send you a bill for the full amount, as per our letter 10 ° of the 4th 
inst. 

Trusting to hear from you, we are Yours truly, 

(113) 



MODERN DICTATION 109 

—280— 
Messrs. Tennen & Brown, 

Omaha, Nebraska. 
Gentlemen : 

The enclosed folder depicts the cream of our offerings in curtains 
and draperies for fall season, 1907. 25 

Kindly note that although curtains are advancing in cost right 
along, we have not advanced our prices one penny. Our special offers 
are 50 always the best values in the country, and these are no excep- 
tions; in fact, considering existing prices of raw material, they are 
better values then 75 we've ever before given. 

To enable you to move a good mixed order, we will allow Novem- 
ber 15 dating on all immediate orders. 

We 10 ° are landing the heaviest, wholesale buyers of Lace Curtains, 
who have compared our lines with others, and have found it profitable 
to deal with 125 us. We are giving you the benefit of our lowest jobber's 
prices which guarantee you an actual saving of 10 per cent to 15 ° 20 
per cent on those quoted by any competition. 

We do a stupendous Lace Curtain and Drapery business, because 
we are giving wonderful values 175 all the time. Your mail orders re- 
ceive as careful attention as though you personally made selection. 

Try us on a few rope portieres. We are 20 ° offering some really 
exceptional values. These bright and graceful forms of door draperies 
are becoming wonderfully popular, and our prices will enable you to 
sell 225 a great quantity of them. The tapestry portieres illustrated 
herewith, show up beautifully and are great bargains. 

Order freely from this folder — no fear of 250 your carrying over 
dead stock; everything shown has been carefully selected, correctly 
priced, and will appeal to your trade. They're the kind of goods that 275 
sell themselves. 

While our stocks of Curtains and Portieres' are immense, it is ad- 
visable to send in your order by return mail, as our special 30 ° offers 
never fail to quickly close out the patterns advertised. 

The demand for Curtains and Draperies will open up in two or 
three weeks. Order 325 at once and be in shape to meet it. 

Make up your order for fall season on enclosed order card, attach 
one cent stamp to 35 ° same, and mail to us. 

Do it now. 

Thanking you for all past courtesies, and hoping to hear from you 
by return mail, we remain 375 Yours very truly, 

(378) 



110 MODERN DICTATION 

—281— 
Messrs. Smith, Brown & Co., 

Boston, Mass. 
Gentlemen : 

We have your request for samples, which we shall take pleasure in 
giving our attention this week. 25 We have a very attractive fall line, 
but none of our representatives are at present near enough to reach you 
within a reasonable time. We 50 are only an hour's ride from New 
York City, and if any member of your firm is to be in New York soon, 
we would 75 suggest, as the most satisfactory arrangement, that you 
have him take a trip to the factory. In that way you can see the 
whole line, 100 and select such goods as you think are attractive. 

We have as yet made no advance from the regular prices on ac- 
count of the change 125 in price of muslins, but there is every indication 
that this must come very soon. 

We hope that we may hear from you by return 15 ° mail as to whether 
or not there is any probability of your being able to call upon us here. 
If not, we will try to 175 arrange for a line of samples to go to you soon. 

Very truly yours, 

(189) 



BUILDING AND LOANS 



—282— 
Mr. J. G. Williams, 

Terre Haute, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

For your information and for the benefit of the members at large, 
I wish you would 25 write to the Mutual Underwriters, Rochester, New 
York, and ask them for a copy of their February 15, 1907, issue, 
and 50 then turn to page 38 and read the full history of the Tennessee 
Associations, and decisions of the courts, and also personal letter 
from 75 the judge of the Supreme Court. I think with this book in 
your hands, in case of the members coming to you and wishing 10 ° to 
withdraw on account of the trouble in Tennessee, that they would go 
home satisfied and allow their investment to remain in the Association. 

Yours 125 very truly, 

(127) 



—283— 

State Savings Bank, 

Council Bluffs, Iowa. 
Gentlemen: 

Your favor enclosing draft for $25.75, to cover February collec- 
tions due February 20th, received 25 on the 26th. The credits are as 
follows : 

Atkins, J. F $10.50 Pullman, C. A. $ .50 

Smith, W. H. 50 10.00 Strong, Ephram 5.00 

$26.00 
Less commission .25 



$25.75 
Thanking you for the above favor, 75 1 remain 

Very truly yours, 

(80) 
111 



112 MODERN DICTATION 

—284— 
Mr. Howard Cramer, 

Pittsburg, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 23d instant, enclosing your regular remittance, 
has just been received, and receipt for 25 same will be mailed you under 
separate cover. 

I acknowledge the receipt of application of Frank Grimes, and the 
same will be issued and mailed 50 to him as per your request. 

I note your remarks in regard to the number of withdrawals that 
are coming from your territory, and the 75 claim that the same is on 
account of the failure of the Building and Loan Association in Ten- 
nessee. The failure of that association was nothing 10 ° more than a 
stampede, in which the officers lost their heads, instead of protecting 
themselves by the law,in the way of withdrawals, they immediately 125 
filed notices for receivers. 

The starting of the stampede was caused by nothing more than 
the decision by the courts relative to a local association 150 violating 
the laws in loaning money. The decision that was rendered by the 
judge was not understood by the newspaper correspondent, and the 
result was 175 that they started a stampede in all associations of Ten- 
nessee. Yours very truly, 

(188) 

—285— 
Mr. D. F. Smith, 

Battle Creek, Mich. 
Dear Sir: 

In order to withdraw from this Association it will be necessary 
for you to sign the 25 enclosed notice of withdrawal, take your certifi- 
cate of stock, sign the assignment on the back of it in the form provided 
for that purpose, and 50 have your signature witnessed. Then mail 
certificate, pass-book, and notice of withdrawal to us in the enclosed 
envelope, and as soon as they are received, 75 they will be acknowledged 
to you and placed on file. 

The withdrawal value will be remitted to you according to the 
by-laws governing withdrawals, 100 subject to the state law. An ex- 
tract of each you will find appended to the notice of withdrawal. 
Awaiting your further pleasure in the matter, 125 1 am 

Yours very respectfully, 

(130) 



MODERN DICTATION 113 

—286— 
Mr. George B. Newton, 

Allentown, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

In order to withdraw from this Association you should sign the 
enclosed notice of withdrawal, which, if 25 you will please sign and 
return to us, we will attach them to your certificate of stock and pass- 
books and file all papers in the 50 regular manner. Appended to the 
notice you will find an extract of the by-laws and state law governing 
the payment of withdrawing stock. 

Awaiting further 75 instructions from you, we remain 

Yours very truly, 

(83) 

—287— 
Mr. J. P. Mathews, 
Altoona, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 14th inst., enclosing application for ten shares 
"A" stock for Annie S. 25 Singer, has been received, and at your re- 
quest we have mailed the certificate of stock to Mr. Strong for delivery. 
Thanking you for the favor, 50 we remain 

Very truly yours, 

(55) 
—288— 
Mr. W. S. Snider, 

Sellers ville, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

We mailed you the remittance sheet before we received your bond 
and we suppose of course it 25 is in your hands by this time. 

You state in your favor just received, that you have made all 
collections, and it is evidently known 50 by the members where you are 
located. It therefore will not be necessary for us to advise them by 
special letter, unless you think it 75 best to do so. 

Just as soon as we received the statement from the bank that 
you had severed your connections with them, taken all 10 ° books and 
papers, and that you claimed the right to make the collections, etc., 
we immediately remailed the statement for collections to you, pend- 
ing 125 the receipt of your bond. 

Trusting you will return the collection sheet promptly on time on 
account of this being the dividend month, we are 15 ° 

Yours very truly, 
r (153) 



114 MODERN DICTATION 

—289— 
Mr. J. L. Wimmer, 
Sterling, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 31st ult. at hand and contents noted. There 
are only three courses 25 for you to pursue relative to your stock, which 
are: First, allow it to lapse until you are in a position to pay up the 50 
back dues and fines. Second, take a stock loan. Third, withdraw the 
stock. 

We are not allowed by law to accept notes for payment as 75 stock 
dues. It would be cheaper for you to take a loan upon your stock than 
it would be to allow it to lapse and 10 ° pay fines. If you would take a 
loan of $40, which would cover the March, April, May and June pay- 
ments, and then send us 125 $1.60 for interest and premium for those 
four months, this would allow you until the 3d day of July to put your- 
self in 150 position to continue your payments, whether you repay the 
stock loan or not. Yours very truly, 

(166) 
—290— 
Mr. James Winters, 

Minneapolis, Minn. 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to yours of recent date, relative to your stock with this 
Association, if you allow this stock 25 to continue delinquent without a 
loan, your fines for the time you suggest would be considerably more 
than the interest on a loan. Personally, 1 50 would suggest a stock 
loan if you desire to save the investment, in preference to withdrawing 
or allowing it to become delinquent. 

Hoping that the 75 above will meet your needs, I remain 

Yours very truly, 

(85) 
—291— 
Mr. K. L. Otto, 

Evansville, Ind. 
Dear Sir: 

Enclosed is an order which please sign, authorizing the deduction 
of the amount paid you as stated 25 in our letter of the 10th instant. 
Also enclosed is the certificate of stock, which please assign by writing 
your name on blank the 50 line indicated by your initials under the 
heading, "Assignment Number 1," on the back of the certificate. Will 
you also sign the order for deductions 75 and the enclosed receipt, and 



MODERN DICTATION 115 

return said order, receipt, and certificate of stock in the enclosed 
envelope? 

Ordinarily, I would ask that you call at 10 ° the office to sign re- 
ceipts, etc., before turning over the check, or at least I would send to 
Mr. Gardner for delivery, but as 1 125 have talked this matter over with 
Mr. Hunt, so that there is no uncertainty about the amount, I send 
everything along together for the purpose 15 ° of expediting the closing 
of the loan. Yours truly, 

P. S. — Payments in this loan may be made to Mr. Gardner, as in 

the other. 175 

(176) 
—292— 
Mrs. Mary G. Hunt, 

Box 47, Harvey, 111. 
Dear Madam: 

I enclose my check to your order for $82.65, proceeds of 25 the 
$100 loan to you from this association. 
This amount is made up as follows: 

Loan. $100.00 

Membership fee $1 . 00 

Attorney's 50 fee, preparation of papers, 

and examination of records 10 . 00 

Recording mortgage 1 . 85 

Six months' dues 3 . 00 

Interest and premium, 75 1 .50 

Check herewith 82 .65 100.00 

The payments on this loan hereafter will be as follows: Stock 
dues, 100 .50 per month; and interest and premium, $1.00 per month. 
The stock payments, however, have been made to and including the 
month 125 of July, 1907, and the interest and premium have been paid 
to the including next month. 

For the months of April, May, 150 June, July, 1907, your payment 

will therefore be $1.00 and beginning with August the payment will be 

$1.50 per 175 month. Yours truly, 

(178) 

• v —293— 

Mr. Robert Atkinson, 

135 Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

Yours enclosing check for $153, duly received, for which please 25 
accept thanks. That will help out on the dividend, your individual 



116 MODERN DICTATION 

account, and the general result. If you could possibly send another 
check that would 50 be good as early as next Wednesday, it would be 
still better for your account, and swell the receipts also. Money re- 
ceived for account delinquent 75 dues, etc., on or before next Wednes- 
day, will, I think, be included in the dividend. 

Yours very truly, 

(93) 

—294— 
Mr. A. R. Gastman, 

125 La Salle Street, City. 
Dear Sir: 

Please advise me whether or not you have yet taken care of 25 the 
taxes for which the property covered by mortgage of yourself and wife 
to this Association, was sold in 1907. I hope 25 you will attend to this 
matter without delay. 

The delinquent payments in this loan should, if possibly, be brought 
to date. The regular semi-annual 50 dividend of the association will 
be spread at the end of this month, and if your wife wishes to participate 
fully in same, it would 75 be necessary that the payment be made to 
and including the present month. Any payment of delinquency made 
on or before March 2d, will be 10 ° entitled to share in the dividend. 

Yours truly, 

(108) 

—295— 
Mr. J. M. Bond, 

821 Main Street, Jamestown, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 24th at hand and contents noted. 1 25 will 
state that the funds referred to therein have been withdrawn from this 
Association by the Trustee. The amount was returned to him with 
interest 50 thereon, according to the by-laws in force at the time the 
stock was subscribed for. I will also state that the stock was paid in 75 
full to date at the time it was withdrawn. 

For your information, I will state further that this stock had a 
credit of earnings 10 ° of $107.77 and if the same had not been with- 
drawn, it would have a dividend estimated of about $36 125 credited 
on it the first day of March. 

Trusting that the above will give you the information desired, 
I am Yours truly, 

(H7) 



MODERN DICTATION 117 

—296— 
Mr. R. K. Allen, 

Indianapolis, Indiana. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor, enclosing draft for $84 to cover February collections, 
due February 10th, is received and credited as follows: 

Duffy, J. J $12.00 

Smith, W. 1 8.00 

Jenkins, W. H 20.00 

Edison, Laura 22 . 50 

Mason, R. F 10.35 

Lacy, Ida 14.15 

$87.00 
Less commission 3 . 00 

$84.00 

I note your remarks relative to the Smith certificate, and the 
same has been referred to the attorney with instructions to take action 
thereon. 

Thanking you for your favor, I remain, 

Very truly yours, 

—297— 

Mr. H. N. Culver, 

56 La Salle Street, Chicago, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

No payment nor settlement of any kind has yet been made in M 
the Clark loan. When I saw you last you stated that you had good 
reason to believe that it would be taken care of as 50 early as the 23d 
instant. I request, therefore, that you return to me the abstract. 
Please do not disregard my request as you have 75 heretofore. 

I hope as an attorney you can appreciate «the annoyance it is to 

me after having loaned this abstract to be obliged to put l0 ° in so 

much time getting it back again. Yours truly, 

(110) 

—29a— 
Mr. Albert Zimmerman, 

Freeport, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

The $5.50 sent by you a day or two ago was duly received. It 
occurs to 25 me that it is about time that you were beginning to make 
payments of a larger amount on this loan, as I understood at the 50 



118 MODERN DICTATION 

time I talked with you, you thought you would be able to pay the full 
amount of stock dues, as well as interest and premium 75 within a few 
months. The total payment in that case would be $11.50 per month. 

There is an item of $4 10(> which we have paid for insurance on 
your property, that you ought to repay to us at once. That matter 
is provided for in your 125 mortgage so that you will be bound to repay* 
that sum, just as though it were interest or premium, and it would make 
your account 15 ° look better on the books if you would take care of that 
item. 

You must remember also that your two lots were sold last fall 175 
for unpaid taxes, and you should redeem from that sale, else a deed 
will be issued to the party who bought the property, and it 200 will then 
be taken away from you entirely. Very truly yours, 

(211) 



—299— 
Dear Sir: 

I have given your application for loan considerable attention and 
it has been decided that we cannot loan over $800 25 on the property. 
In arriving at that decision, we were forced, of course, to consider the 
fact that there was some depreciation in values of 50 real estate. It 
was considered that you would be a desirable borrower, but a loan of 
$800 would be all the property would 75 stand. 

It is possible that you may be able to get along with that amount 
next August, though I understand you wish to pay off 10 ° a $900 loan 
that becomes due at that date. It would not be policy for you to pay 
the other loan before 125 it is due, if you have to pay interest up to its 
maturity. Will it not be possible for you, between now and the time 15 ° 
when the other mortgage matures, to raise enough money so that you 
can get along with a $800 loan? 

You may consider 175 it settled that, if the title is good and the 
security is as good next August as it is now, we will make you the 200 
loan of $800. If you think you can raise enough to make up the dif- 
ference before that time, it would be a 225 good plan for you to begin at 
once to pay on the stock, so that in August you will have your six 
months' dues paid 25 ° in. 

Please let me hear from you as to your wishes in the matter. 

Yours very truly, 

(267) 



MODERN DICTATION 119 

—300— 
Mr. H. J. Edison, 

Willow Springs, Col. 
Dear Sir: 

We have yours of recent date, stating that it will probably be 
necessary to foreclose the 25 $500 mortgage of Mr. Smith. This is the 
property concerning which we have had correspondence with Mr. 
Robert Cummins, with reference to 50 release of one of the forty-acre 
tracts. 

I consider that under the circumstances we were very fortunate in 
refusing such release, especially since it 75 was proposed to pay nothing 
for same. I infer that the land is very good security for the mortgage, 
and although such is the fact, 10 ° we dislike exceedingly the expense 
and annoyance of the foreclosure, and I would like to make every effort 
possible to have the matter arranged without 125 the necessity of fore- 
closure proceedings. 

From memoranda that I have, I understand that the land owned 
by Mr. J. E. Allison, and the other forty 15 ° acres are under heavy 
mortgage, which is held by his cousin, Mr. Baily. I wish, if you can, 
you would give me the addresses of 175 these two persons, as I should 
like to correspond with them before forwarding the papers for fore- 
closure. 

As you doubtless know, these foreclosures, especially those 20 ° 
outside of this city, are considerable of a nuisance as they require so 
much attention. Very truly yours, 

(218) 

—301— 
Mr. J. T. Chenney, 

Assistant Cashier, 

Fort Dodge, Iowa. 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 23rd at hand. You state that Mr. Thornton 
paid 25 you $10 on the 23rd of December. Such being the case, he is 
delinquent, as we acknowledged the receipt of your 50 collections for 
December. This would show that you remitted nothing for his account 
during that month. 

If you have received the payment since remitting to 75 us, we 
wish you would kindly request Mr. Thornton to make his payments in 
the future in time so that you can forward them to 10 ° the home office 
with the rest of the collections. 

I wish to thank you for the financial report of your local association. 



l'Zi) MODERN DICTATION 

Our semi-annual report m will be out on the 15th of next month, and 
we will forward you a copy of same. 

Thanking you for the favor, 1 150 am Yery truly yours, 

(154) 
—302— 
Mr. James K. Alderich, 

Rockford, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

I believe that you are the owner of one of the forty-acre tracts 
covered by mortgage 25 of I. C. Smith to this Association, being either 
the S. E. \i of the N. E. % or the N. 50 E. \i of the S. E. y± of section 
twenty. 

The payments on this loan have become considerably in default, 
and 75 the mortgage is now subject to foreclosure. I am about to for- 
ward papers to Newton for that purpose, but desire to advise you as 
to 10 ° the condition of affairs, so that you may be able to protect the 
property if you so desire. 

The amount of delinquency in payments at m present is $59.50 
including the payment for the present month of March. The regular 
payments are $7.50 per month and 160 fines of $1 per month are charged 

for delinquency. Yours very truly, 

(163) 
—303— 
Mr. M. T. Cole, 

Denver, Col. 
Dear Sir: 

Referring to your mortgage loan about which you inquire in your 
favor just received, we advise that 25 $80 has already been paid on the 
stock in that loan, which amount on repayment operates as a reduction 
of the principal by 50 that much. 

The total incumbrance against the property if it were to be cleared 
up immediately is, therefore, about $480. These figures 75 are only 
approximate and not exact. The correct amount would not vary very 
much therefrom, however. The mortgage covers both forty-acre 
tracts, and there 10 ° is no provision in it for the release of either. It will 
be necessary therefore, if you protect the property, that you take care 
of 125 the entire indebtedness. 

If you care to do anything with reference to the matter, you should 
advise me immediately by return mail, as I have 15 ° the papers ready 
to forward to our attorney. 

I have written to Mr. Frank by this mail concerning this matter, 
informing him as to the 176 condition of affairs, as I have you. 

Yours truly, 

(184) 



MODERN DICTATION 121 

—304— 
Mr. T. R. McComas, 

Mobile, Ala. 
Dear Sir: 

Yours of the 26th ultimo, with regard to the North loans, duly 
received. I hope that 25 you may be able to make a settlement of these 
loans and trust that you can, in case Mr. North makes his arrangement 
with the 50 other people, so that he can pay Mr. Miller in full. We do 
not care how much he pays any of his creditors, providing he 75 can get 
proper waivers, so that the Association will be released from further 
liabilities. 

I should not care if he did not pay any of 10 ° them more than five 
cents, if he can secure the waivers of lien. I think the proper way will 
be, as I have explained heretofore, to 125 ascertain in the best possible 
manner what the amount of the indebtedness is and make him bring 
the bills within that amount. If he can 15 ° squeeze his other creditors 
to that extent, that is all that we are interested in. Just as soon as 
you can surround the bills in 175 this way, I should be glad to have you 
proceed immediately to close the loans. Yours truly, 

(192) 

—305— 
Mr. Thomas R. Davis, 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

At the request of Mr. Kelly, we herewith enclose you blank notice 
of withdrawal for your ten 25 shares of "A" stock, certificate number 
4405, under date of April 2nd, 1896. Please sign the same, take your 50 
certificate, of stock, sign the withdrawal receipt on the back of it, have 
your signature witnessed, and mail the certificate, pass-book and the 
notice to 75 us in the enclosed envelope. Upon their receipt, they will 
be acknowledged to you, placed on file and the withdrawal value re- 
mitted to you according 10 ° to the by-laws governing same, subject to 
the state law. 

According to the general books of the Association you have paid 
in $55 125 in stock dues. This amount will be returned to you with 
interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent per annum for the time 15 ° 
the Association has had the use of the funds. 

Awaiting your further action, I remain 

Yours very truly, 

(168) 



122 MODERN DICTATION 

—306— 
Mr. William H. Willis, 

Rock Island, 111. 
Dear Sir: 

We have your favor of the 26th, stating that you desire to withdraw 
your ten 25 shares of "A" stock, certificate number 2453, under date 
of November 2nd, 1897. Please return to us the enclosed 50 papers 
properly filled out, and we shall take pleasure in remitting you the 
withdrawal value at once. 

Thanking you, we remain Yours very truly, 

(74) 

—307— 
Mr. H. B. Dickens, 

Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Dear Sir: 

We beg to call your attention to a matter of considerable import- 
ance to us. We refer to 25 your present method of remitting amount of 
collections. We prefer to have you send draft on some banking cor- 
poration instead of on private bankers, as 60 heretofore. 

Upon presenting your draft at the office of your correspondent, 
our clerk receives a check for the amount, which check is made payable 
to 75 our order at a bank with which our correspondent deals. As our 
bank refuses to receive for deposit checks upon private bankers, we 
are obliged 10 ° to endorse them before they can be deposited and placed 
to our credit. This is quite an inconvenience, and may be avoided 
by remitting through 125 some bank which is connected with the Clearing 
House. 

We presume the mode of remitting makes little or no difference to 
you, and if you 150 will consult our convenience in the matter, you will 
greatly oblige Yours very truly, 

(164) 

—308— 
Mr. M. L. Lansing, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
Dear Sir: 

We have the pleasure of introducing the bearer, Mr. J. N. Mills, 
who visits your city in 25 a business capacity. Should he require any 
funds at your hands, please be good enough to advance him the requisite 
sums, not exceeding $5,000, 50 taking his bill of exchange at three months 
for the amount, which upon presentation will be duly honored by us. 



MODERN DICTATION 123 

We beg to notify 75 you, however, that the commission and all 
charges connected with this transaction made by you, are to be de- 
frayed by Mr. Mills, the net amount 10 ° we will pay, being simply the 
aforesaid $5,000. 

We have the honor to remain Yours truly, 

(118) 



—309— 
Messrs. Scribner & Co., 

Chicago, 111. 
Gentlemen : 

Your letter, threatening law proceedings, forces me to announce 
my inability to meet my obligations at present. As 25 you are my 
principal creditor, I appeal to your sympathy not to increase my 
trouble by resorting to law measures. I require time to extricate 50 
myself from the position in which I have been placed through the fault 
of others, and I therefore must ask your indulgence for a short 75 period; 
which request, if ungranted, will oblige me in justice to all to make an 
assignment for the benefit of my creditors. 

With an earnest desire x0 ° to honestly adjust all claims against 
me, I remain Yours respectfully, 

(ill) 



—310— 
M. R. Mason, 

Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I am in receipt of your favor of the 4th inst., and in reply beg to 
say 25 that upon inquiry I find that the firm whom you mention, former- 
ly of this place, failed here in 1906, both members of 50 the firm leaving 
immediately for the West. Since then nothing has been heard of them. 
I have been unable to glean the slightest particulars of 75 their where- 
abouts, if I may except the rumor that one is located in the city of 
Denver and that the other is, or was about 10 ° two years ago, doing 
business as commission broker in New Orleans. 

Hoping this information may prove a clue to something tangible, 
I am Yours truly, 

(125) 



124 • MODERN DICTATION 

—311— 
Mr. H. L. Martin, 

Newark, N. J. 
Dear Sir: 

It becomes my duty to notify you that the directors of this associ- 
ation found it necessary 25 to reduce its expenses, and in doing so are 
compelled to dispense with your services from this day. 

Regretting the necessity of this measure, and 50 wishing you every 
success in the future, I am Very truly yours, 

(62) 



AD WRITING 



—312— 
Dear Sir: 

The first lecture of an instructive course in advertising, just inaug- 
urated by the Young Men's Christian Association, was given Wednes- 
day night, 25 January 17th, in Association Hall before an interested 
audience, composed mainly of students of ad writing and persons 
interested in advertising. 

The psychology of 50 advertising and how to gain and hold the 
attention of the public was also under discussion. Class practice 
work for the evening consisted of clothing 75 ads. 

This course will include sixteen lessons. There will be an address 
given at each meeting of the class, followed by practical demonstration 
and class 10 ° work. Among the lecturers who will speak at these 
meetings are many prominent Philadelphia advertising men. 

I sincerely hope you may be able to arrange m to attend these 
lectures. Your friend, ' 

(131) 

—313— 
Gentlemen: 

Enclosed you will find some examples of my advertising. If any 
or all of these are qualified, I should like to see them reproduced 25 in 
your magazine with the necessary comment. I should like to know 
if you approve of the marked section in regard to display and arrange- 
ment. 50 Also please give a word in regard to ad which appeared op- 
posite ours in Thursday's paper. Yours truly, 

(68) 
—314— 
Mr. Thomas W. Bain, 
Rochester, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

The advertisements you submitted are all worthy of reproduction, 
but we cannot give them space because 25 we must devote our pages at 
this time to clearance sales and spring advertising. 

The Christmas advertising is out of season, consequently would not 
be 60 of much benefit to our subscribers just now. Most of the adver- 

125 



126 MODERN DICTATION 

tisements have one bad point, i.e., the omission of the prices. Prob- 
ably our 75 Christmas advertisements would have developed double 
the trade had you printed prices. Ask any department store ad man 
what his experience has been along this 10 ° line. 

Very truly yours, 

(104) 
—315— 
Gentlemen: 

The enclosed ad is for our regular Friday bargain day. We re- 
ceived a very fine compliment from one of our newspapers, but we 
wish 25 to know what you think of it after it has passed through your 

mill. Yours truly, 

(41) 

—316— 
Mr. R. F. Eaton, 

Portland, Me. 
Dear Sir: 

The advertisement submitted deserves commendation, but the 
method of separating all paragraphs with heavy rules and using 25 such 
small boxes, gives it a rather cheap effect. Your calendar at the top 
is ingenious. We believe that the advertisement would have looked 
better 50 if it had been set four columns wide and not quite so long, 
then you would have been able to arrange the items differently 

Strive 75 to cultivate a convincing style. The amount of results 
obtained from an advertisement depends almost entirely upon the 
convincingness of statements. A bare assertion of 10 ° the superiority 
does not carry much weight. An advertiser should have the convic- 
tion that the goods advertised have some points of merit. He must 
tell 125 what these points are, and he must tell it convincingly. 

Yours truly, 

(137) 

—318— 
Gentlemen : 

I am sending you to-day a full page ad of our present January 
clearance sale; also smaller ad from the daily paper of our 25 little city. 
I should consider it a favor if you will kindly pass judgment on my 
work of but one and one-half years in advertising. 50 

This work is done in connection with the management of our suit 
department, at times when not engaged in this department of our 
store. 

I 75 should thank you for recognition, whether favorable or other- 
wise. Yours very truly, 

(87) 



MODERN DICTATION 127 

—319— 
Mr. T. L. Potter, 

Fond du Lac, Wis. 
Dear Sir: 

We have yours of the 18th inst., enclosing ad. The portion of 
the advertisement, marked 25 with blue pencil, certainly strikes one 
as being the weakest part of it. The whole ad could be set in one-half 
the space with a 50 great deal better effect, and more pleasing arrange- 
ment. The other parts of your advertisement seem to be along the 
right lines. 

Regarding your other advertisements 75 submitted, we think they 
might be improved in many ways. To the writer it looks more like a 
rebus or a puzzle of some patent 10 ° medicine concern than an advertise- 
ment of a store. The advertisement is all right with the exception of 
the arrangement, which of course spoils the whole 125 thing. 

Yours very truly, 

(129) 
—320— 
Gentlemen : 

Enclosed I hand you some of my ads, which I have written for 
the firm I represent. If you would publish one or more 25 of them 
in your valuable magazine, after careful criticism, I should appreciate 
it very much. 

The suggestion chart is my own original idea and has 50 attracted 
no little attention. As people have to think what to buy for suitable 
holiday gifts, this list of articles is just what is needed. 75 

Thanking you in advance for any attention you might show this 
matter, I am Yours very truly, 

(92) 
—321— 
Mr. F. D. Notes, 

Huntington, W. Va. 
Dear Sir: 

The appearance of the clearance sale circular is creditable, but 
too much white space is wasted. 25 In order to get good effects from 
white space, you should bunch the items, thereby getting contrast of 
black and white. I believe it would 50 pay you to study the method 
of arrangement in advertisements put out by the large department 
stores. 

Typographically, the small advertisement is not as good 75 as the 
circular. One good thing to remember in giving instructions to the 



128 MODERN DICTATION 

ad compositor is that all display is no display, and if an 10 ° ad is set 
with about fourteen faces of heavy type, it gives no more display than 
if it were set in small light face type. 12B 

To make headlines stand out, all the rest of the item must be set 
in smaller type in order to get contrast. We are pleased 150 to note 
that you display prices promimently with each item. 

Very truly yours, 

(164) 
—322— 
Gentlemen: 

Enclosed Jind two ads which I should be pleased to have you 
criticise. Which, in your estimation, is the better style for one in 25 
my business ? 

Thanking you in advance, I am Very truly yours, 

(36) 

—323— 
Mr. Lloyd T. Garland, 
Toronto, Canada. 
Dear Sir: 

We do not believe that it would be wise to confine yourself to 
either style of advertising 25 submitted. The readers are a class of 
people that would not be influenced by your display ad. We would 
suggest one alteration in your 50 display advertisement, and that is 
that you write on each item separately. 

It would be well for you to analyze your own policy and compare :5 
your methods with those of your successful competitors, and endeavor 
to adopt any good ideas you may be able to glean from them. 

Yours very 10 ° truly, 

(101) 
—324— 
Gentlemen: 

It is astonishing how unbusinesslike some men are in regard to 
the details of their business. There is for instance the matter of cor- 
respondence 25 in which there are a great many sinners. 

It is all very well to say that you dislike correspondence, but if 
you are in business 50 you are bound by business laws, and one of the 
first and most important of these is to promptly take care of your cor- 
respondence. There 75 is nothing that will injure a concern so much 
in the eyes of those who do business with it as neglect or carelessness 
in replying 10 ° to communications. If you have not time to look after 
your business, get more help. Respectfully yours, 

(116) 



ADVERTISING 



—325— 
Gentlemen: 

Knowing that you are interested in anything that assists in the 
distribution of merchandise on an economical 25 basis, we take occasion 
to outline to you a plan that marks a new development in the science of 
retailing. 

We are satisfied that if 50 you analyze carefully the plan of action 
set forth in our correspondence, you will instantly appreciate the logic 
and be quick to undertake it. 

Briefly, our 75 purpose is to induce manufacturers of branded and 
reputable lines of merchandise to advertise their products thru the 
retailers who sell their goods, and in 10 ° that way bring their products 
immediately before the customers of the stores having them on sale. 

You are no doubt aware that large sums of 125 money are spent 
every year in the women's magazines by manufacturers in order to 
familiarize consumers with the merits of their goods. These manu- 
facturers have 150 been educated to believe that this method of adver- 
tising alone would force retailers to put in the advertised lines, and as 
a result the interests 175 of the retailer have in many cases been entirely 
ignored. 

A careful study of the subject shows us that the time has passed 
when such 20 ° methods can always bring full measure of success. We 
have found that many retailers so far resent this intrusion on their 
rights, that they actually 225 refuse to put such merchandise in stock. 

Trusting we may receive the assurance that you are interested, 
we are Yours very truly, 

(247) 
—326— 
Doggett Dry Goods Company, 

Kansas City, Mo. 
Gentlemen : 

We realize as fully as anyone the power of magazine advertising 
when properly used, but we also 25 emphatically take the stand that an 
article, the sale of which is wholly accomplished through the retail 

129 



130 MODERN DICTATION 

merchant, can in most instances be better and 50 more economically 
advertised by the various stores in their localities — in other words, 
by the retailers themselves in their local papers — than in the columns 75 
of the magazine that circulates promiscuously in cities, villages and 
towns. 

Suppose, for example, that you are located in one of 500 cities 10 ° 
in which the manufacturers' entire product is distributed, would it not 
be better both for you and the manufacturer, if his advertising were 
concentrated in 125 those cities ? Does not the intimate relationship 
which exists between you and your public make you the most natural 
channel for appealing to that public? 15 ° An affirmative to the latter 
question is the basis of our idea, and while attempts have been made 
to carry out this work by manufacturers 175 themselves, it has not been 
entirely successful because they were not properly organized to do it. 

We are endeavoring to*make big advertisers recognize the 20 ° im- 
portance of this plan and the importance of the retail merchant as a 
distributor. We want to show the manufacturer the advantage of 
working with the retailer instead of trying to 225 coerce him. 

We are also firmly convinced that the retailer would be very 
ready to stock a manufacturer's line, and would feel more sure of 25 ° 
selling the goods, if the manufacturer would co-operate with him in 
his advertising. 

May we hear from you on this subject? 

Respectfully yours, 

(274) 

—327— 
Dear Sir: 

Referring to our previous letter on our plan of advertising, we would 
say further that in order to bring about a more logical 25 and practical 
condition of affairs, the retailer must be willing to meet the manu- 
facturer half way. To this end we have perfected a co-operative plan 50 
that will undoubtedly appeal to you. The proposition is that you 
advertise from time to time in your regular newspaper space, certain 
specific brands that 75 you have in stock, for which we will pay you, 
on behalf of the manufacturers, one-half the net cost to you. For 
example, if we 10 ° were to secure an appropriation for you to advertise 
a certain brand of gloves, shoes or any highly-specialized article, and 
you devoted $50 125 worth of newspaper space for this purpose during 
the season, you would get a check for $25 on presenting the evidence 
to 15 ° us. 



MODERN DICTATION 131 

Over three hundred prominent retailers have enthusiastically 
endorsed this plan of ours and are new advertising various lines on a 
co-operative basis. 

As we 175 extend our list of. retailers, we hope to induce manu- 
facturers to see the merits of this proposition. No doubt you have 
many brands of merchandise 200 on which you would like co-operative 
advertising appropriations. We shall be glad to use our efforts in 
your behalf, if you only indicate on enclosed 225 blank the lines in 
which you are particularly interested. 

You can imagine the benefit accruing to you if at least a portion 
of your daily 25 ° advertising expense could be paid for in this way. It 
goes without saying, that the lines of goods so advertised would neces- 
sarily show a resultant 275 increase of sales to your and the manufac- 
turer's mutual advantage. 

Is yours going to be one of the progressive stores to secure these 
co-operative advertising 30 ° appropriations? 

We are making contracts with the manufacturers for advertising 
during 1908, and no doubt there will be many lines on which 325 we can 
offer you co-operation. 

Any suggestion as to the practical merits of this plan as it applies 
to your business will be appreciated and 35 ° will receive our careful con- 
sideration. Yours very truly, 

(358) 



—328— 

Mr. Arthur Carter, 
St. Joseph, Mo. 
Dear Sir: 

I am having some big fire sale newspaper cuts made for a big fire 
sale to be 25 inaugurated at Kansas City. I wrote Mr. Burns under 
date of 11-11-07, and suggested that the cuts be displayed as 50 stated 
in attached copy of letter to him, which is self-explanatory. 

I think it advisable for you to follow the same plan in displaying 
cuts 75 in your advertisement. 

A set of these electrotype cuts, as described in my letter to Mr. 
Burns, will be shipped to each of our stores 10 ° Wednesday, November 
20th ; sooner if possible. Very respectfully, 

(109) 



132 MODERN DICTATION 

—329— 
Mr. Thomas Roberts, 

Dayton, Ohio. 
Dear Sir: 

As you request, we have placed your name on our mailing list and 
you will receive our catalogs 25 of cuts as issued. We shall be pleased 
to fill your orders, and can promise you entire satisfaction. We would 
call your attention to our 50 spring fashion cut catalog, which will con- 
tain high class,, cuts of all the newest styles. 

Will you kindly send us the names of your branch 75 houses, as we 
desire to place their names on our list? Thanking you in advance, we 
remain Yours truly, 

(94) 



—330— 
Dear Sir: 

We have your letter of the 11th, and are sending you under separate 
covers catalogs numbers B-12 and B-22. 25 This last catalog is our 
Christmas catalog, and contains cuts suitable for Christmas time; the 
other contains Thanksgiving illustrations and some garment cuts 
We 50 have no complete catalog of all our cuts, but can send you a 
good many of our past bulletins if you so desire. We send 75 these 
bulletins, however, under the condition that you use cuts (if you order 
them) in no towns other than Dallas and Fort Worth, because if 10 ° used 
in any other towns in which you have stores, their use would conflict 
seriously with our client there, and perhaps we would lose him 125 for 
violation of our contract. 

As you undoubtedly know, we sell our service to but one merchant 
in a town or city and furnish him 15 ° with sale ideas, cuts, advertising 
material, suggestions for trims for the Christmas season, and other 
important seasons, under a yearly contract, and where we have no 175 
such clients, we accept cash cut orders. 

The price list for B-22 is not quite completed and so the catalog 
goes to you 20 ° without it, but our prices are the lowest consistent 
with good design and quality, together with originality. 

Thanking you for your words of commendation regarding 225 our 
cuts, and trusting to hear the results of our latest bulletin, we are 

Yours very truly, 

(242) 



MODERN DICTATION 133 

—331— 
Messrs. Bullene, Moore & Emery, 

Kansas City, Mo. 
Gentlemen : 

We have yours enclosing a change of copy, which we will print on 
your January, 1 25 908, Fashion Guides and we will give this our expert 
attention. Your December Guides are already sent you and you 
should have received 50 them ere this. Respectfully, 

(54) 

—332— 
Dear Sir: 

We have your favor of the 11th instant, saying that you have not 
received any of our stock cut catalogs since May. 25 We are sending 
you the two last issues under separate cover. These are the Septem- 
ber and October numbers. The November number will be ready next 60 
week and we will send you a copy. 

Your name is on our mailing list and we have sent you our catalog 
at time of 75 issue. We want you to have these books and will be glad 
to have you notify us when they are not received. 

Yours truly, 

(99) 
—333— 
Mr. John T. Young, 

Clinton, Iowa. 
Dear Sir: 

We are just in receipt of your letter of the 11th instant, requesting 
us to send 25 some electrotypes to you, and we will gladly comply with 
your request. 

We want to call your attention to the fact that upwards of a 50 
month ago we wrote to you, calling your attention to proof sheets of 
the various cuts which we had ready for shipment — sheets which 
we 75 were sending you — and asked that you send in your order at 
once, specifying the cuts you wanted by number. 

Then in addition to this, 100 we have also sent you a book of pre- 
pared advertisements for newspaper work — advertisements which 
we are confident you will find exceptionally good. 

We realize, 125 of course, that these things may have possibly gone 
astray. However, included with the cuts, we are sending you some 
of these prepared advertisements. 

We 150 have no way of telling just how many or what cuts you pre- 
fer, but are using our best judgment in the selection of these. So 175 



134 MODERN DICTATION 

if you find you can use any others to advantage, in addition to what 
you have, kindly let us know, and we will see that 20 ° they are forwarded 

to you. , Yours very truly, 

(208) 
—334— 
Dear Sir: 

We would again call your attention to the matter of circular 
letters addressed to your office. Please attend to it without further 
delay. 

We 25 wrote you about a week since in regard to whether or not all 
the circular letters which we mailed to your place have been delivered. 50 
We are receiving a number of them back from other offices. 

We had printed on the envelopes which went out, a request for 
the postmaster 75 to write us for return postage, if same were not deliv- 
ered, and we would refer you to the Postal Law and Regulations rela- 
tive to the 10 ° matter, page 222, section 485. 

Kindly let us know in regard to this at once, as this is the second 
letter 125 written you with reference to this matter. 

Yours very truly, 

(135) 

Mr. L. F. Small, —335— 

Fort Worth, Texas. 
Dear Sir: 

A few days ago we mailed a number of circular letters to your 
office, with the 25 request printed on the envelopes for you to write us 
for return postage for all undelivered. Please let us know how many 
you have, if 50 any, and we will send you postage for their return. 

Kindly mark change of address on place indicated on envelope. 

Thanking you in advance and 75 trusting that you will attend to 

same at once, we are Yours very truly, 

(89) 

—336— 
To Advertising Man. 
Dear Sir: 

As the advertising man of your store, you will no doubt be interested 
in some unique advertising matter that we 25 are sending you to-day, 
express prepaid. You will also see at a glance that this is not cheap 
circular stuff, such as invariably winds up 50 its career unread, in the 
waste basket; but live, high grade work that is sure to be a first class 
producer of results that, if 75 judiciously used, will come to your best 
class of trade and be, not only read by the recipient, but preserved and 
shown to several others 10 ° before being cast aside. 



MODERN DICTATION 135 

It is for this reason that we address this letter to you, as we want 
your co-operation in the distribution. We 125 want you to see that 
the cards go to the right classes of trade and go to them in the right 
way. This Scheme has 15 ° cost us too much money for us to stand aside, 
after our part has been done, and see its possibilities spoiled by misuse . 

Yours truly, 

(175) 
—337— 
Mr. James P. Porter, 

Seattle, Wash. 
Dear Sir: 

In advertising there are, in our opinion, two ways that are good: 
first, to mail as post 25 cards, taking advantage of the present post card 
craze, to a list composed of friends and acquaintances of the men in 
the underwear department. This 50 will cost a little extra, but will 
bring by far the best results. 

Second, by putting them as inserts in with "your monthly state- 
ments, as 75 far as the quantity sent will go. Of course, this is not 
to be compared with the first method, but it is the only substitute 10 ° 
we can think of to get them to the proper class. 

You can see that these are genuine photographs and cost us over 
two cents 125 each. Now, if the quantity we have sent you is not as 
many as you can advantageously use, we will be glad to furnish you 15 ° 
with as many more as you desire at one cent each, thus sharing the 
burden of expense. 

Will you kindly write acknowledging the receipt of 175 this letter 
and the cards, and assure us of your co-operation? 

Respectfully, 

(187) 
—338— 
Mr. Frank B. Duran, 
Memphis, Tenn. 
Dear Sir: 

We have just placed an order for bill-posting in your city through 
Messrs. T. F. Franks & 25 Company. The poster to be used is our 
handsome overall color poster, just gotten out, measuring 7 x 10 feet. 
To all of the 50 posters put up for you, will be added the words, "For 
sale by Frank B. Duran." 

It might be well for you to get in 75 touch with your local bill poster 
before these posters are received by him, and arrange for the best pos- 
sible locations. We find that where a merchant 10 ° looks after matters 



136 MODERN DICTATION 

himself, he can obtain twice as much value from the bill-posting dis- 
play as where the locations are selected indiscriminately by the bill- 
poster 125 company. 

The order placed for the posting covers a period of one month. 
If you have any special preference as to the time at which 15 ° these 
posters shall appear on the boards, just give the necessary instructions 
to the local company. Or if you prefer to have half of them 175 dis- 
played one month and half the next month, you can arrange the matter 
with him to your own satisfaction. The work is being done for 200 
you, and we want you to get the greatest possible good out of it. 

Yours very truly, 

(217) 
—339— 

Messrs. Rogers, Darnell & Co., 

Mobile, Ala. 

Gentlemen : 

We have your favor of the 27th instant, regarding signature cuts. 
As it appears that you 25 want something entirely new, we have referred 
your letter to our Saint Louis house and have asked them to take the 
matter up with you 50 at once and submit a sketch to you as you sug- 
gest. 

All work of an original character coming from the South, is always 
referred to 75 our Saint Louis house for action. You will hear from 
them at once and they will be very glad to supply you with anything 
in 10 ° this line you may require. 

Please continue to address all correspondence regarding stock 
cuts or stock printed matter, direct to our Chicago house, as all 125 busi- 
ness of this character is handled here. 

Thanking you, we remain Very truly yours, 

(139) 

—340— 
Mr. T. R. Lindsey, 

Lincoln, Nebr. 
Dear Sir: 

We beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of October 5th, con- 
taining change of copy for insertion in December Fashion Guides. 
Replying we regret to inform you that your copy has reached us too 
late to use for December Fashion Guides, they having already been 
printed. We shall be pleased to appropriate the new copy sent us for 
insertion in the January number, and will consider that this course will 
be satisfactory to you, unless we hear from you to the contrary on or 
before October 30th. 



MODERN DICTATION 137 

In this connection we write to say that the date fixed for closing 
forms for agents' advertisements, to be inserted in our monthly Fashion 
Guide, is on the 30th of the third month preceding that for which the 
sheets are dated; as an example, December forms are now in press for 
which advertising forms closed on September 30th. 

Respectfully yours, 
—341— 
Dear Sir: 

We note that you do considerable advertising through the mails, 
and we would like very much to furnish you with a mailing list of over 
five hundred names of people living in this town and community. 

Yours very truly, 
—342— 
Gentlemen : 

We sent you some time ago three cuts, advertising Pres de Soie, to 
be used in your printing or newspaper advertising. We were very 
glad to do this. We have spent thousands of dollars in advertising 
Pres de Soie in the Ladies' Home Journal, Delineator, McCall's Maga- 
zine, and other fashion papers for our customers' benefit. 

It is certainly a pleasure to have our customers co-operate with 
us and reap the benefit of the advertising which we have done. In 
order that our files may be complete, we would ask you to send us 
copies of the paper or papers in which these cuts were used. 

We enclose stamped envelope for reply. 

Yours truly, 
—343— 
Dear Sir: 

Replying to your inquiry, we quote you a rate of $4 per month 
for a five-inch double column advertisement in the Review. Larger 
space, cheaper in proportion. We are sure this is not a high rate 
when one considers the character as well as size of our list. Nearly 
every bit of it is paid in advance, and a great part of it is at Muncie, 
Fort Wayne, Anderson, and the rural routes that lead out from these 
places. You will see in the sample copy, enclosed herewith, that we 
have an Anderson department looked after by a man who lives there, 
that makes the Review about the same as an Anderson paper. Of 
course, you know that Anderson and the other territory named is large- 
ly tributary to your city. 

The enclosed sample copy shows our scheme for further increasing 
our circulation. We have arranged with the tax assessor to get up for 
our exclusive use a list of every person he assesses, showing his cor- 
rect post office address and rural route. 



138 MODERN DICTATION 

Each week we mail out a large number of these sample copies to 
non-subscribers from his list. Only five hundred names have been 
turned in to us by the assessor, but when it is finished, the use of it 
will be for sale. Very truly yours, 

—344— 
Mr. George W. Forbes, 

28 Nassau Street, New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

In compliance with your request, we will ship with your goods 
two sets of our electrotypes in 6 and 3 inch sizes. 

Hoping that you will favor us with copies of your advertisements, 
showing the use of these cuts, so we can place them on file in our ad- 
vertising department, we remain Very truly yours, 

—345— 
Gentlemen: 

We are in receipt of yours of the 14th instant, and beg to say that 
we will be pleased to furnish you the five-inch double column space 
at $2.50 per month, or if taken for six months or more at $2 per month. 

You will notice that the paper has changed hands, and is now 
known as the "New Era." Should your advertisement reach us 
before Thursday, it will be inserted in this week's issue. 

Thanking you for the inquiry and in advance for your patronage, 
we are Truly yours, 

—346— 
Mr. K. T. Palmer, 

Buffalo, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

Some people know us only as engravers, but we're more than that. 
Take our catalog work for instance, that's only one branch of our busi- 
ness. Beginning with a small local field, the reputation of our work, 
our ability, our specialized service, has spread so, that our catalog 
business is now national. 

From Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, and from El Paso to 
Detroit, we have clients who send us their catalog work season after 
season. There must be something attractive about our work that 
pleases them. 

Let us do your worrying for you. Send on your goods. We'll 
do all the arranging and grouping, making the drawings or photographs, 
and ship the cuts ready for your printer. Let us figure with you. We '11 
guarantee intelligent service and prompt deliveries at prices no higher 
than you pay for poor work. Yours very truly, 



MODERN DICTATION 139 

—347— 
Messrs. Barney & Wells, 

Macon, Ga. 
Gentlemen: 

We are in receipt of your favor of recent date in which you ask if 
we can furnish you with a few electrotypes and half tones, and we are 
pleased to send you some cuts in some of our latest designs. We hope 
that you will find these useful in your advertising or for catalog pur- 
poses. Please accept these cuts with our compliments. 

We have instructed our designer at Boston to send you some cuts 
direct, which we hope you will receive without delay. 

Thanking you for your past favors, and soliciting future business, 
we remain Respectfully yours, 



—348— 
Dear Sir: 

Acknowledging receipt of your favor of the 30th ultimo, we are 
sending this day under separate cover electrotypes descriptive of the 
different styles purchased. 

Trusting same will reach you in due time, we are 

Yours very truly, 



—349— 
Emery, Bird, Thayer & Co., 

Kansas City, Mo. 
Gentlemen : 

For mailing a circular to follow up your catalog this 36-pound 
Manila, size number 10, or our 6*^ x 9}4, is the very thing, at small 
cost. 

In these days of strenuous mail order advertising, you must keep 
in close touch with your mailing list, and a monthly special sale bulletin 
or circular is imperative. 

How many can you use? The more the better results for you. 
Return envelopes, too, must be enclosed. They are sure order bringers 
— can't omit them with safety. 

Don't delay on this matter. Write your order or inquiry on the 
back of this letter; enclose copies for printing, and we will do the rest. 
Prompt shipment. Yours for results, 



140 MODERN DICTATION 

—350— 
Mr. J. G. Barnum, 

Oklahoma City, Okla. 
Dear Sir: 

In reply to your inquiry as to advertising rates, beg to advise that 
three column, 8-inch space per issue is $3. For one month, four issues, 
$10. All our front page space is taken. We can give you space on 
our personal column page, which we think would be more advantageous 
than the first page. 

Trusting that we may do business with you during this year, 

Very truly yours, 

—351— 
Dear Sir: 

An opportunity to serve you — that is all we ask. 

Already this season we have published nearly 25 four times as 
much School and College advertising as both our local contemporaries 
combined. 

Necessarily our service is well systematized. It has to be, be- 
cause 50 of the volume of School and College business we transact and 
the service we render. Therefore with our special Educational De- 
partment we can serve you 75 as no other paper can. 

If you have ever analyzed the School and College advertising 
situation you will have found these points in The Journal's 10 ° favor: 
The first paper in the West to carry any large amount of School and 
College advertising; the largest School and College medium west of 125 
Chicago; the only paper with an Educational Information Bureau; the 
only paper publishing a School and College Booklet, and the only paper 
permitting its School 15 ° and College advertisers to publish their news 
notes each week throughout the year. 

Very truly yours, 

(165) 

—352— 
Dear Sir: 

Beginning next Monday there are practically only 10 weeks more 
for School and College advertising. May we have your announcement 
for next 25 Monday at the latest ? Our special days are Monday, Wed- 
nesday and Friday, with Monday the biggest day. You are entitled 
without charge to our co-operative 60 service, and our rates are very 
reasonable. 



MODERN DICTATION 141 

1 inch (14 lines) adv. Mon., Wed., and Fri., 10 weeks $ 42.00 
2 75 u u u u u tt g4 00 

- 3 " " " " " " 125.00 

4 . " " " " " " 1 10 ° 68.00 

The time is short. If you wish, we will prepare your announce- 
ment in our office, including the making of a cut, without 125 extra 
charge. Just think what a consistent appeal to 70,000 Journal homes 
will mean! The Journal must have a warm place in these homes 15 ° 
when people are willing to pay for it just double what they pay for any 
other paper in this city. 

Won't you write to-day, sending us 175 your announcement and any 
news notes you may have as well as literature for our Educational 
Information Bureau ? Very sincerely yours, 

(196) 

—353— 
Mr. W. D. Bond, 

Omaha, Nebr. 
Dear Sir: 

The enclosed nineteen line double column advertisement was 
clipped from one of our local papers. It would cost 25 $3.80 an insertion 
in The News. We trust that we will receive your order for this an- 
nouncement, since we feel that we 50 are in a position to be of great 
service to you this season. 

Were it not for the high regard in which The News 75 is held by 
educators, we would not be the third largest School and College me- 
dium in the United States, being exceeded by one paper l0 ° in New York 
and one in Chicago. The same schools are represented in our columns 
season after season, in most cases with increased space, and 125 we 
would like to have the opportunity of demonstrating our pulling power 
for your institution. 

No other paper duplicates the service we give. No other 15 ° paper 
enjoys the same confidence of School and College advertisers. 

Very truly yours, 

(163) 

—354- 
H. B. Johnson, 

City. 
Dear Sir: 

You may be interested in knowing that already this season we have 
carried more School and College advertising than 25 both our contem- 



142 MODERN DICTATION 

poraries. The secret of our success lies in the one word — co-opera- 
tion. 

We announce the advantages of your institution in our School 60 
and College Booklet, which is sent to prospective students on request. 
We keep on file your literature, which is also mailed to prospective 
students on 75 request, and then each Monday we permit the institution 
to publish its news items of interest in our School and College news 
column free of 10 ° charge. 

In addition to this, you are also making an earnest appeal to 70,000 
families, people with money to spend, people who are 125 able to send 
their children to an institution such as yours. Since its subscribers 
pay twice as much for The Journal as for any other 15 ° local paper, its 
advertisers are assured that its circulation is one of quality. 

Yours very truly, 

(166) 
—355— 
Gentlemen: 

Although the circulation of our paper now exceeds 70,000, we 
still maintain our special School and College rate of 10c an agate line, 
$1.40 an inch. 

We would suggest the use of large space, since the greatest suc- 
cess in the School and College fields 50 is made by the educators- who set 
forth the advantages of their schools in large space. We would like 
to carry for your Business College 75 a three-inch double-column 
announcement each Monday throughout the season, and a one-inch 
double-column Wednesday and Friday of each week. 

In connection 10 ° with your order, kindly fill out the enclosed form 
for our School and College Booklet, and send us new notes as often as 
you desire. 125 

Trusting that we may have the pleasure of serving you, and with 
best wishes for your continued success, we remain 

Very sincerely yours, 

(148) 
—356— 
Mr. James Smith, 

824 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 

I write in response to your letter of the 18th, 25 received several 
days ago. I have looked the ground over very carefully for such a 
man as you are seeking, but I do not know 50 that there is a single one 
who has had any experience in an advertising department. If pos- 



MODERN DICTATION 143 

sible, I shall call on you within a day 75 or two, and make inquiry as to 
what is wanted in the position referred to. I do not know what day 
I can come in, 100 but in all likelihood it will be within the next four 
days. Very truly yours, 

(115) 
—357— 
Mr. J. F. George, 

Chemical Building, St. Louis, Mo. 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter of the 24th has just reached me. I wrote you a day 25 
or two ago, expressing a little impatience at my failure to receive the 
advertisements I had sent you to be set. While I was more 50 anxious 
for something to use in the New York papers, in the way of general 
advertising of our school there, than for the textbook advertisements, 75 
I think it well enough for you to proceed with the textbook advertise- 
ments on the lines laid down in the first paragraph of the letter, 10 ° 
to which I am making reply. These advertisements are all numbered 
from one to fifteen, consecutively, are pinned together, and in this form, 
returned to 125 you in the same envelope with this letter. They include 
the advertisements headed, "Learn Telegraphy," which is numbered 
fifteen, as you will observe. 

As to 15 ° the advertisements of bookkeeping and stenography, I 
aim especially to increase correspondence instruction patronage. These 
are all good advertisements, and could probably be used with 175 profit 
in the magazine, but I am not at this writing prepared to go ahead with 
such a correspondence instruction campaign as you suggest. 

1 200 have a school of fair size, and, in fact, two of them — one here 
and one in Sioux City. We are anticipating a good enrollment 225 in 
September in both places. This anticipation is based on the names 
we have received. 

We have done no advertising in the magazines and other 25 ° pub- 
lications this year, as has been customary with us for a number of years, 
and consequently have received fewer inquiries for our catalog. But 
1 275 know, from long experience, that the inquiries we have received 
give a very much larger promise of enrollment than those we have re- 
ceived within recent 300 times from newspaper and magazine advertising. 
The fact is, I am quite well satisfied that, even though we have failed 
to spend several thousand dollars 325 in newspaper and magazine ad- 
vertising (the amount that we have spent heretofore in the publications 
which go all over the country, and whose circulation is 35 ° not confined 
to this locality), we have a much better promise for increased numbers 



144 MODERN DICTATION 

than I have seen here in years. It may be that 375 we would have been 
better off if we had done the magazine advertising, but I am inclined 
to think, not much better off. 

The handling 40 ° of two large schools, as things commonly go, 
occupies me ten or twelve hours every day. It is very hard for me to 
handle my mail 425 and do my own advertising, as I have already in- 
timated. I have not pushed the correspondence department for the 
simple reason that I have had 450 enough work for the force I employ 
and for my own hands, as it is. 

When I can organize the propagation and conduct of a 475 good 
correspondence department, as I may be able to do in the comparatively 
near future, I shall go ahead and advertise more generously for pat- 
ronage 500 of that kind; but until I am a little better provided with 
help, good reliable help, which will not require my personal inter- 
vention every few 525 minutes, in everything that goes on, but can 
take such share of the burden as is due to it, and carry it without 
unloading on 550 my shoulders constantly, I am not going to undertake 
very much more. 

The International people have succeeded illustriously, mainly 
because they have confined themselves to 575 one thing. This also is 
true of Mr. Moore, to whom you refer; of Mr. Powell, and others. But 
I have observed that there is 600 in this year's magazines, etc., a mani- 
fest shrinkage in the amount of correspondence instruction advertising. 

I have known a number of people who were advertising to 625 give 
instructions by mail in certain fields, who were said to be deliberate 
frauds and to give no really substantial return for the money spent 
with 65 ° them. Probably most of these have gone out of business. 

The thing is not worth doing at all, unless it can be perfectly 
well done. 675 My own experience enables me to say that it is fairly 
difficult to conduct a school which offers personal instruction in four 
or five departments 700 and push every one of those departments with 
the same strength. For instance, in the beginning here we taught 
almost exclusively bookkeeping and the branches 725 connected with it. 

The attendance of the school was nearly as large in those days 
as it afterwards was when we pushed, perhaps with equal 75 ° energy, 
the department of stenography and typewriting. 

Stenography is, to my mind, the coming thing in these schools. 
There will always be a demand for " 5 a general business training, but 
the idea has taken such full possession of the public mind, that this 
course ought to be given in a 800 few months, whereas students who 
are deficient in English, ought to take many months, that I am afraid the 



MODERN DICTATION 145 

popularity of that 825 course will, to a certain extent, decline ; especially 
since the main object of the people who come to me as patrons seems 
to be to 850 make use of the school for vocational purposes. 

Another thing should be said both as to the personal and corres- 
pondence instruction. Practically every one of 875 these schools, which 
is of any size, is now situated in a large city and is working the terri- 
tory within a hundred miles of that 900 city very industriously with 
solicitors. We had never used solicitors here until within the last 
year. I do not use them now in territory at 925 some distance from this 
section, but in and around New York City, throughout this state, and 
in eastern New England. I have been testing inquiries 950 received 
during the last few years and find that we have been losing, to a large 
extent, to our competitors who for years have done 975 most of their 
advertising through the kind of effort a solicitor might put forth. 
Thousands of inquiries we get come to nothing for the reason 100 ° that 
they cannot be followed personally by us. We excite their interest; 
they inquire for our publications; they at the same time inquire for 
the 1025 publications of other schools situated nearer, perhaps. These 
latter schools visit them immediately and succeed in winning them. 

What you say with reference to our 1050 having a stronger appeal 
to the country at large than any other school has won, is true. I know 
the value of our prestige, because 1075 I have very often had occasion 
to enjoy the fruit of it. Regardless of this, we must expect more and 
more to get the substance 110 ° of our patronage from nearby territory 
by working that territory more industriously than we have done in 
years gone by. 

If, however, you can, through 1125 devising such individual adver- 
tisements as you suggest you may be able to prepare, enable us to 
harvest a larger return for the interest we excite 115 ° in this territory 
our competitors ascribe peculiarly to themselves, I shall be glad to have 
you undertake the problem, and shall be willing in case 1175 you present 
what may seem to me to promise good results, to pay your price for the 
sen-ices . 

I really care little, since you have 120 ° given me the facts about 
them, for the general advertisements, on which I have put a memor- 
andum in red ink, indicating that we could use 1225 these with the night 
school application you propose to give them. The experience of some 
years leads me to know that there is little patronage 125 ° for a night 
school here. During the last year, the solicitor we have had in this 
territory has increased the attendance on our night school 1275 to a 
certain extent; but altogether we have had the territory thoroughly 

10 



146 MODERN DICTATION 

advertised in the newspapers and both mail and hand distribution, not 
much additional 130 ° interest seems to have been aroused. 

The case is different in New York. The enormous population 
centered there, consisting to a large extent, of young 1325 people who 
are earning a mere pittance, and who would eagerly take advantage 
of any opportunity for instruction and training which would give a 
fair 1350 warrant of increased earning power, makes me believe that 
field to be one susceptible of a very large night school patronage, even 
for private or 1375 pay schools, and in spite of the fact that the public 
school system provides tensively for the thing sought. To advertise 
that field with your 1400 conventional advertisements already, as you 
told me, sold to one man in that territory, and to many others through- 
out the country, would not be doing 1425 the kind of thing that I like 
to do. As I have written you, I want to at least seem to have some 
individuality. 1 1450 do not want to have it said of me that I am fol- 
lowing the other fellow, either in word or deed. 

Your correspondence instruction advertisements 1475 are too large 
for the New York dailies. I want just now something to use in them, 
as a matter of course, but I want 1500 through you to do the work a 
little better; to excite more interest and larger inquiry and then, if 
possible, to follow it more effectively 1525 both by mail and personally. 

As to illustrations, I would be inclined to agree with you with refer- 
ence to the use of script, but 1 155 ° have learned my lesson from ex- 
perience in this matter. Strange as it may appear to your preconceived 
notions, practically the only advertisements of textbooks, etc., 1575 
which I publish in our journal, which really yield anything promptly, 
are those under a script heading. Every mail, for instance, brings us 
in orders, 1600 enclosing the money required for writing lessons and for 
pens. Personally, I would never put a penny in the things thus ad- 
vertised. From the subject 1625 matter and title points of view, the 
other books advertised would interest me two or three times as readily, 
but they are not what seem 165 ° to catch the young people to whom we 
are aiming. 

My own experience as an advertiser has given me two mottoes. 
The first is, -Go 1675 after the fellow you want to get." To this there 
is a natural corollary ; you can interest by the same advertisement his 
father, mother, sisters, 1700 brothers, uncles, cousins, and aunts, if pos- 
sible, but don't let your desire to catch the attention of the assembled 
host of relatives, near and remote, 1725 leave out of consideration the 
one person in the bunch who may have business for you. The other 
motto I have borrowed. It is: "Excite 175 ° interest, but don't satisfy 



MODERN DICTATION 147 

it." Of course, if you are merely advertising a book, it is well enough 
to give the price and some hint 1775 of the contents, but do not republish 
the book. I have found that an advertisement which makes catalogs 
a very attractive publication, will bring many 1800 more inquiries than 
one which spends its strength largely on facts about the school, and 
other matter that ought to be contained in the catalog. 1825 

I may conclude with a word about correspondence instruction. 
As soon as I can I want to develop our work on that side as largely 185 ° 
as possible, and it will not be many months before I will reach out in 
that direction. I have learned my lesson with reference to 1875 adver- 
tising that which is not my specialty, as it stands, and for the promo- 
tion of which, through special circulars and follow up matter, I am 190 ° 
not fully prepared. 

I want to get more fully ready before I do anything in this direction. 
Meanwhile, I shall not spend any money worth 1925 speaking of for this 
purpose, because I know that I could spend thousands of dollars and 
get practically no return. Yours very truly, 

(1948) 



LAW CORRESPONDENCE 



—358— 
Dear Sir: 

Mr. Sprague left a daughter as heir to his estate, and we are acting 
as her attorneys. Under the Tennessee statutes what would this daugh- 
ter's share of the estate be? What does this estate consist of, and 
would you handle our client's claim on the usual terms of two-thirds 
of ten fee on amount realized? 

We understand that this estate has been administered upon in 
your courts and that it can be gotten at and all the information ob- 
tained therefrom. He is said to have left a good life insurance and 
good residence property. Just what other property, we are unable to 
say. 

He advised his daughter that he had provided for her, but to what 
extent we do not know. The wife of the deceased has no friendliness 
for our client, and you need not expect any information from that 
source. 

Awaiting your reply as to what information you can learn and 
whether or not you will take up the matter with us, we are 

Respectfully yours, 

—359— 
Dear Sir: 

In reply to your letter relative to the claim of the Doggett Dry 
Goods Company vs. Jones and Long, we have to advise that the writer 
has interviewed both Mr. Jones and Mr. Long concerning this claim. 
They both state that they intend paying it, but do not fix a specific 
time for doing so. We gather that the affairs of the Jones-Long Com- 
pany are somewhat involved, but to what extent we are unable to 
learn. If this is an individual obligation of Jones and Long, each have 
property individually, subject to execution. 

Mr. Jones stated that this was an obligation of the company and 
was not an individual obligation of either party. He further stated 
that this concern was incorporated and if this is correct, we hardly see 
how we could hold them liable individually. 

148 



MODERN DICTATION 149 

Kindly advise us in regard to the matter, and if you think we 
can hold Jones and Long liable, we will institute suit on the note, it 
you instruct us to pursue that course. Yours very truly, 

—360— 
Dear Sir: 

Having had turned over to me for attention, as far as any may 
be necessary from this end of the line, the claim of T. R. Dorney, I beg 
to say that hereafter you may correspond with me alone in regard to 
this matter, and that you will please keep me informed. 

I have only to say at present that we wish this case vigorously 
fought. Inasmuch as there are a great number of padded claims being 
presented to this corporation, there seems to be an impression abroad 
that it is an easy prey for people to collect exorbitant amounts from. 

It has been my experience in such matters as this, that it is just 
as well not to make any vigorous fight in the Justice Court, but to try 
the case there so as to draw the fire from the opposite side, and get 
oneself fully informed as to his case, and then make your real fight in 
the County Court. Ordinarily, there is not very much use in making 
strong fights in Justice Courts anyhow, where a corporation is being 
sued. 

I think the company has offered very reasonable settlement of 
the claim and that the rejection of these offers is an evidence on the 
part of the plaintiff that he does not want what is right, but is simply 
trying to hold up the company. Yours truly, 

—361— 
Dear Sir: 

We have had the deposition of D. W. Right retaken and enclose 
herewith carbon copy. It is late and we have not read the deposition 
for correction, but send you copy so that you may have it returned as 
soon as possible. The final certificate will be properly attached. 

Yours very truly, 
—362— 
Gentlemen : 

Your letter just received and contents noted, in regard to which 
I would ask that kindly inform us who owns or controls the property 
at the present time. Who lives in the house and who collects the rent ? 
How much is there due on the place and what kind of terms can be made 
to stop the sale of it? I will certainly appreciate it if you will write 
me the full particulars. Yours very truly, 



150 MODERN DICTATION 

—363— 
Dear Sir: 

Your favor of the 14th instant is received here. I cannot under- 
stand why this note has not been paid long ago. It no doubt would 
have been had it been sent to Newport, where it is payable, before it 
matured. 

The latter part of January the money was obtained from a relative 
of mine and was forwarded to Hon. J. G. Brown, a reliable attorney, 
for the purpose of taking up this paper promptly at its maturity. It 
was claimed for some time after the maturity of the note that it could 
not be found, and I feel sure such was the case, though I have no per- 
sonal knowledge of the fact. But I do know that the money is in the 
hands of either one of the banks or Mr. Brown, who started Saturday 
night for Colorado, where he and his family will spend some weeks 
vacation. If you write him, so that he will receive the letter on his re- 
turn, about August 10th, I am certain he will take pleasure in taking 
the note up. 

You need have no misgivings about the matter, for Mr. Brown is 
not only trustworthy, but he is also responsible, being a man of con- 
siderable means. 

I have no doubt one of the banks at Newport would be glad to 
see suit brought against me for the note. Though they might know 
that the funds were deposited with them for the payment of the identical 
piece of paper, they would never say a word to explain. 

Yours truly, 



LEGAL FORMS 



POWER OF ATTORNEY. 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, John Doe, 
of the City of Raleigh, in the County of Wake, and State of North Caro- 
lina, do hereby make, constitute and appoint Richard Roe, of the same 
place, my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name tc sell, 
transfer and assign all stock of the Greenville & Roanoke Railroad 
Company standing in my name on the books of the said company; 
with power, also, of attorney or attorneys under him for that purpose, 
to make and substitute with like power, and to do all lawful acts 
requisite for effecting the premises; hereby ratifying and confirming 
all that my said attorney, or his substitute or substitutes, shall do 
therein by virtue of these presents. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, 
this 1st day of April, 1903. 

John Doe. (Seal) 
Sealed and delivered in the presence of 

Andrew Parsons. 

Henry Thomas. 



CIRCUIT COURT, DUTCHESS COUNTY, 
George Allen, Plaintiff, 

vs. 
James Lord and Mark Brown, doing business under the name of 
Lord & Co., The Island Sash & Door Co., Ray Thomas, Ralph 
Johnson, Robert Low, and Harry James, Defendants. 

On reading and filing the Complaint in this action, duly verified, 
It is, on motion of Nelson & Baird, attorneys for Plaintiff, OR- 
DERED that, upon said Plaintiff's paying into Court the sum of four 
hundred twenty-five dollars and seven cents ($425.07), the said De- 
fendant, The Island Sash & Door Co., and the said defendants, Ralph 
Johnson and Robert Low, be restrained from further proceeding 

151 



152 MODERN DICTATION 

against the plaintiff, and that all the other defendants be restrained 
from commencing any action against the Plaintiff. 
Dated Poughkeepsie, December 17, 1904. 

By the Court, 

Charles M. Owen, 

Circuit Judge. 



DEPOSITION. 

STATE OF WISCONSIN, 

Milwaukee County. 

Henry G. Manning and Clarence Clemmons, being duly sworn, 
depose and say that they are two of the signers of the original Articles 
of Corporation of the Johnson Trust Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Deponents further say that they have carefully compared the 
foregoing copy with the original, and that the said copy is a true and 
correct copy thereof, and of the whole thereof. 

Deponents further say that they make this affidavit to comply 
with the provisions of Subdivision 7 of Section 1772 of the Revised 
Statutes of 1878 of the State of Wisconsin, and the acts and amend- 
ments thereto. 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 8th day of July, A. D. 
1904. 

John M. Baker, 
Notary Public, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin. 

At a Special Term of the Supreme Court, held at the Court House 
in the City of Poughkeepsie, on the 25th day of May, 1904. 

Present, Hon. John F. Brown, Justice. 
Charles W. Vincent and George B. Wheeler, as Executors under 
the last Will and Testament of George T. Ross, deceased, 
against 
Mary Catherine House, as Committee of Perry Wheeler, an incom- 
petent person. 
On reading and filing the annexed consent, 
ORDERED, that this action be, and the sameliereby is, amended 
by making as party defendant thereto Mary Catherine House, as Ad- 
ministratrix of the goods, chattels, and credits of Perry Wheeler, de- 
ceased, in the place and stead of the present defendant, and that said 
action be revived and continued as so amended. 



MODERN DICTATION 153 

ORDER APPOINTING REFEREE. 
At a Special Term of the County Court, held in and for the County 
of Dutchess, at the City of Poughkeepsie, on the 26th day of April, 
1904. 

Present, Hon. William D. Green, Justice. 
John S. Hall 
vs. 
Augustus J. Connell et al. 
On reading and filing the affidavit of Nelson H. Perry, hereto an- 
nexed, on the motion of Walter D. Small, plaintiff's attorney. 

IT IS ORDERED, that Richard Waters be, and he hereby is, 
appointed to act as Referee to sell in the place instead of Henry T. 
Yates, named in the judgment and order directing such sale as Referee, 
and that said Richard Waters is hereby ordered to sell and convey said 
property pursuant to said order of sale. 



SUMMONS. 
SUPREME COURT, COUNTY OF HARRISON. 

The Farmers' National Bank of Troy 
against 
Andrew Carter, Frank S. Lawson, and Rufus P. Wilson. 
To the Above named Defendants: 

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint 
in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer on the Plaintiff's 
attorney within twenty days after the sen-ice of this Summons, exclu- 
sive of the day of service ; and in case of your failure to appear or an- 
swer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief 
demanded in the Complaint. 

Trial desired in the County of Harrison. 

Henry E. Smith, 
Plaintiff's Attorney, Troy, N. Y. 
Dated the loth day of August, 1903. 

TRANSFER. 
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that 1, John Doe, 
of the City of St. Louis, in the County of St. Louis, and State of Mis- 
souri, for and in consideration of the sum of five hundred dollars lawful 



154 MODERN DICTATION 

money of the United States, to me in hand paid by Richard Roe, of the 
same place, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby 
sell, assign, transfer, convey, and set over unto the said Richard Roe 
-all my right, title, interest, claim, and demand in and to the within 
named policy of insurance, and all sum and sums of money, interest, 
benefit, and advantage whatever, now due, or which may hereafter 
arise, or to be had or made by virtue thereof; to have and to hold the 
same unto the said Richard Roe, his heirs and assigns forever. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and 
seal this 1st day of July, 1907. 

John Doe. (Seal) 
Sealed and delivered in the presence of 

James W. Long. 

David G. Jackson. 



PLUMBER'S SPECIFICATIONS. 

Of the labor and material required in the completion of plumb- 
ing, drainage, ventilation, and gas fitting of a two-family house, to be 
erected on the south side of Parker Avenue, in the City of Poughkeep- 
sie, for Mrs. James Brown, according to the plans and the specifica- 
tions prepared by 

James Wilson, Architect, 
654 Market St., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 

Drainage: 

The accompanying drawings and specifications for plumbing and 
drainage are to be submitted to the Board of Health of this city for 
their inspection and approval. 

Boiler: 

Provide and place in the first floor kitchen a thirty-gallon Brown 
& Co.'s copper boiler with galvanized iron stand. Connect this boiler 
with the range, which the owner will provide and place on the first 
floor. 

Gas Fittings: 

Excavate and extend gas main into the building. Place two 
meters and extend two separate lines of piping, one for the first floor, 
and the other for the second floor. 



MODERN DICTATION 155 

PLUMBERS' SPECIFICATIONS. 

For a one-family brick dwelling-house, to be built on Lot 64, 
Perry St., Poughkeepsie, N. Y., for Mrs. John Brown, according to the 
plans and the specifications prepared by 

James Wilson, Architect, 
654 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 

The contractor must be guided in the following specified work by 
both drawings and specifications. Preference must be given in all 
cases to figures on memoranda. 
Cast-iron Lines : 

All joints in cast-iron pipes and fittings shall be made by a gasket 
of oakum one-third the space, and pouring molten lead into the remain- 
ing space. 
Lead Lines : 

All joints between lead lines, whether for supply or waste lines, 
shall be wiped solder joints. Joints between lead and cast-iron pipes 
shall be made by means of a brass or copper ferrule soldered to the lead 
pipes. 
Tests : 

When required by the Plumbing Inspector, the work shall be 
tested with smoke, peppermint, or water test. 

COMPLAINT. 

SUPREME COURT, DUCHESS COUNTY. 
The Duchess County Mutual Insurance Co. 

vs. 
The City or Poughkeepsie. 
The Complaint of the plaintiff shows to this Court: 

I. That heretofore, and in the month of August, 1906, the As- 
sessor of the said City of Boston assumed the personal property of 
this plaintiff liable to taxation at the sum of ten thousand dollars 
($10,000), and placed the same upon the assessment roll. 

II. That subsequently the amount of the tax to be raised was 
levied by the Common Council of the said city, and assessed upon the 
taxable property as shown on said roll, and a warrant for its collec- 
tion was issued to John Jones, as City Treasurer. 

III. That heretofore, and on the 6th day of 'February, 1907, the 
said John Jones, claiming to act as City Treasurer, demanded the pay- 
ment of the sum of one hundred six dollars and twenty-five cents 



156 MODERN DICTATION 

($106.25), claiming such sum to be the amount of a certain tax legally 
imposed in the year 1906. 

IV. That the plaintiff then and there claimed that its personal 
property was not liable to the tax in question, but that the said John 
Jones refused to allow the said, claim made by the plaintiff ; whereupon 
the plaintiff, under compulsion, paid the tax so imposed, being the said 
sum of one hundred six dollars and twenty-five cents ($106.25). 

V. That the defendant, the City of Boston, now has and wrong- 
fully retains, the said sum of one hundred six dollars and twenty-five 
cents ($106.25), extorted from the plaintiff as aforesaid. 

WHEREFORE, the plaintiff asks judgment for the sum of one 
hundred twenty-five dollars and ninety-two cents ($125.92), with in- 
terest from May 8, 1906, and also the further sum of one hundred six 
dollars and twenty-five cents ($106.25), with interest from February 
24, 1906, besides costs. 

John D. Brown, 
Attorney for Plaintiff, Boston, Mass. 

STATE OF NEW YORK, ) ss 

Duchess County. ) 

John W. James, being duly sworn, says that he is the president of 
the plaintiff named in the foregoing Complaint, and that the same is 
true of his own knowledge, except as to the matters therein stated to 
be alleged on information and belief, and as to those matters he be- 
lieves it to be true. John W. James. 

Sworn to before me this 8th day of January, 1908. 

George Brown, 
Notary Public. 

ANSWER. 
SUPREME COURT, NEW YORK COUNTY. 

Charles L. Nelson, Plaintiff, 
vs. 
Martin C. Jackson, Defendant. 
The defendant, by David M. Halleck, his attorney, answering the 
plaintiff's Complaint: 

I. He denies each and every allegation contained in paragraph 
one of said Complaint, except that the said defendant had a revolver 
at said time, as stated in said Complaint, and alleges that the said 
defendant attempted to use the same, and to commit an assault with 
the said revolver, which was a deadly weapon; and that for such 



MODERN DICTATION 157 

attempted assault the said defendant was arrested, and for no other 
cause. He denies each and every other allegation as stated in said 
paragraph. 

II. He denies each and every allegation contained in paragraph 
two of said Complaint, except the statement that the said plaintiff 
was arraigned before Hon. Edward Miller, a Police Justice of the City 
of New York, and was paroled in the custody of his counsel. 

III. He denies each and every allegation in paragraphs three, 
four, and five of such Complaint. 

FURTHER ANSWERING, the defendant alleges that the said 
plaintiff, at the time mentioned in such Complaint, attempted to com- 
mit an assault upon the defendant with a deadly weapon, to-wit, a 
revolver, and for such deadly assault with such deadly weapon the said 
defendant was arrested and arraigned before the magistrate aforesaid, 
that he was never legally discharged; that the examination before said 
magistrate has not been concluded or ended, and that the proceedings 
before said magistrate are yet unfinished, undetermined, and not yet 
terminated. 

WHEREFORE, the defendant demands judgment that the Com- 
plaint herein be dismissed with costs. 

David M. Halleck, 
Attorney for Defendant, 336 Nassau St., New York, N. Y. 



COMPLAINT. 

DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, 

For the Second Judicial District. 

Andrew Summers, Plaintiff, 

vs. 
Alfred Marshall and Edward Burton, Composing the Co-partner- 
ship Firm of Marshall & Burton, Defendants. 
The Complaint of the abovenamed plaintiff respectfully shows: 

I. That the plaintiff herein is now, and was at the times here- 
inafter mentioned, engaged in business in the city and state of New 
York, as an importer and commission merchant. 

II. That, on information and belief, the defendants were, at the 
times hereinafter mentioned, and now are, co-partners, carrying on 
business in the said city of New York, under the firm name and title 
of Marshall & Burton. 



158 MODERN DICTATION 

III. That on the 4th day of November, 1906, at the said city of 
New York, the plaintiff sold and delivered to the defendants, at said 
defendants' request, five barrels of wine, containing 260 gallons, at 
$0.30 per gallon, amounting to the sum of $78, which said defendants 
agreed to pay. 

IV. That the plaintiff has duly demanded the payment of said 
sum, but the defendants have refused to pay the same, or any part 
thereof, and there is now due and owing from the defendants to the 
plaintiff the sum of $78, with interest thereon. 

WHEREFORE, the plaintiff demands judgment against the de- 
fendants for the sum of $78, with interest thereon from the 4th day of 
November, 1906, together with the costs and disbursements of this 
action. 

John M. Robertson, 
Plaintiff's Attorney, 303 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 

CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, ss.: 

Andrew Summers, being duly sworn, says that he is the plaintiff in 
the above entitled action, and that the foregoing is true to his own 
knowledge, except as to the matter therein stated to be alleged on 
information and belief, and that as to those matters he believes it to be 
true. 

Andrew Summers. 
Sworn to before me this 8th day of February, 1906. 

Charles M. Owen, 

Notary Public. 

GENERAL RELEASE OF ALL DEMANDS. 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, Charles 
Barber, of the City of Minneapolis, State of Minn., for and in considera- 
tion of the sum of one dollar ($1) to me in hand paid by C. P. Zaner, his 
heirs, executors, and administrators are hereby released and forever 
discharged of and from all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, and 
demands whatsoever, for or by reason of any matter, cause, or thing 
from the beginning of the world down to the 5th day of April, 1907. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and 
seal on the same date as above written. 

Charles Barber. 

In the presence of 
A. R. Whitmore. 



MODERN DICTATION 159 

MORTGAGE EXTENSION AGREEMENT. 

THIS AGREEMENT, made this 23d day of May, A. D. 1907, by 
and between William J. Howell, of the County of Cook, State of Illinois, 
party of the first part, and Charles W. Lewis, County of Cook and State 
of Illinois, party of the second part, witnesseth that 

WHEREAS, said Charles W. Lewis executed his four certain 
principal promissory notes bearing the date of the 28th day of April, 
A. D. 1907, payable to the order of himself and by him duly endorsed 
and delivered, and bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum 
until maturity and after maturity at the highest rate which is in such 
cases lawful to contract for; note number one being for the sum of 
$500 due on the 28th day of April, 1908; note number two being for the 
sum of $500 due April 8, 1909; note number three being for the sum of 
$1,000 due April 28, 1910; and note number four being for the sum of 
$5,000 due April 28, 1912, and, 

WHEREAS, the payment of all said notes, together with interest 
thereon, is secured by trust deed of even date, executed by said Charles 
W. Lewis, a widower, conveying to the Royal Trust Company, trustee, 
certain real estate in the said Cook County, which said trust deed 
was recorded in the Recorder's office of Cook County in the 8th 
day of May, 1907, in Book 4254 of Records, on page 265. The 
interest for said extended period is further evidenced by thirteen 
interest notes made by said party of the second part, bearing date of the 
23d day of August, A. D. 1907, three attached to note number one, and 
ten attached to note number four. 

This agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the respective 
parties, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns of the said 
parties hereto. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the said parties have hereunto set 
their hands in duplicate. 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 



GENERAL RELEASE. 

THIS INDENTURE made this fourteenth day of December, A. D. 
one thousand nine hundred seven, between John Fudge, of Fonda, 
Montgomery County, and State of New York, of the one part, and 
Theodore B. Catchem, of Fultonville, in the county and state aforesaid, 
of the other part, 



160 MODERN DICTATION 

WITNESSETH: That the said John Fudge and Theodore B. 
Catchem have this day cancelled and delivered up to the other, con- 
veyance, bonds, notes, and written contracts upon which he claimed to 
have demands upon the other; the said claims and instruments so can- 
celled and delivered up being supposed and intended to be of the claims 
and evidence of claims by either of the parties hereto on the other. 
And in consideration thereof, each of them, the said John Fudge and 
Theodore B. Catchem, does hereby for himself, his legal representatives 
release, and absolutely and forever discharge the other of and from all 
claims and demands, actions, causes of action, of every name or 
nature, so that neither of them shall have any claim on the other 
directly or indirectly on any contract or supposed liability or thing 
undertaken, done, or omitted to be done, from the beginning of the 
world unto this day. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the said parties have hereunto inter- 
changeably set their hands and seals the first day and year above 
written. 

In the presence of 
George Jenkins. 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 



SUMMONS. 
NEW YORK SUPREME COURT. 
Trial desired in Fulton County. 
Samuel Baker, Plaintiff, 
vs. 
James Mooney et al., Defendant. 
To the above named defendants: 

You are hereby summoned to answer the complaint in this action 
and to serve a copy of your answer on the plantiff 's attorney, within 
twenty days of the service, and in case of your failure to appear and 
answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief 
demanded in the complaint. 
Dated December second, one thousand nine hundred seven. 

James Morris. 
Plaintiff's Attorney, 490 West Main St. 



MODERN DICTATION 161 

CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 

STATE OF ILLINOIS, ) ss 
County of Cook. ] 

On this sixth day of June, one thousand nine hundred seven, before 
me, William H. Dunlop, a notary public, in and for the County of Cook, 
residing therein, duly commissioned and sworn, personally known to me 
to be the same persons whose names are submitted in the within instru- 
ment, and they severally acknowledge that they executed the same. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and 
affixed my official seal, at my office in the City of Chicago, County of 
Cook, the day and year in this certificate first above written. 

William H. Dunlop, 

Notary Public. 

In and for the County of Cook, State of Illinois. 



BILL TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE. 

To the Honorable Judges of Cook County in the Circuit Court. 

February Term, 1907. 

Complainant, Charles Morrison, personally, and his trustee, a resi- 
dent of the County of Cook and State of Illinois, respectfully shows to 
the Court that heretofore, on or about the 12th day of January, 1907, 
the defendant, Henry C. King, was indebted in the sum of twelve 
hundred and fifty dollars ($1250) evidenced by his two principal 
promissory notes bearing date 13th day of June, 1907, each in the sum 
of six hundred and twenty-five dollars ($625), and each payable three 
years after the date thereof, to his own order and by him endorsed in 
blank, in gold coin of the L T nited States of America of the present stand- 
ard of weight and fineness, at the office of Charles Morrison in said city of 
Chicago, or at such place in the United States of America as his legal 
holder hereafter might from time to time appoint, with interest on each 
of said principal notes at the rate of 6 per cent per annum, payable 
semi-annually until maturity, and with interest on each of said principal 
notes until paid at the highest rate which it was then in such cases 
lawful to contract for, and said interest until maturity being evidenced 
by twelve interest notes or coupons, being each for the sum of eighteen 
dollars and seventy-five cents (818.75), payable in gold coin of the 
United States as aforesaid, with interest after maturity until paid at the 
highest rate which it was then in such cases lawful to contract for. 
11 



162 MODERN DICTATION 

Complainant states that he is now legal holder and owner of each 
of said principal notes and of all of said twelve interest coupons. 

Complainant states that on the said 13th day of June, 1907, the 
said Henry C. King, being the owner of the land hereinafter described, 
executed and delivered to Charles Morrison, as trustee, a deed of trust 
in words and figures following to-wit: which deed of trust was duly 
acknowledged by the said Henry C. King, on said 13th day of June, 
A. D. 1907, before Frederic Sloane, a notary public, in and for said 
property, and said deed of trust was afterwards upon the said 13th day 
of June, A. D. 1907, filed for record in the Recorder's office of said 
Cook County, and was recorded in book 7562 of records, on page 834. 

Complainant further states that he is the owner of each of said 
notes in said trust deed described, and of all the unpaid interest thereon ; 
that the said Henry C. King on November 27, 1907, paid on account of 
each of said principal notes the sum of one hundred dollars ($100) 
which amount was duly endorsed upon each of said principal notes; 
that none of the interest upon said principal notes has been paid. 

Complainant further states that he has paid the sum of twenty-one 
dollars and fifty cents ($21 .50) for an abstract of title to said premises, 
and during the pendency of this suit may be obliged to expend money 
for taxes and other purposes authorized by the terms of said trust deed ; 
that all money so paid by complainant with interest thereon, at the rate 
of 7 per cent per annum should be included in the decree of sale in this case- 
Complainant further states that there are persons interested in said 
premises whose names are unknown to complainant and who are there- 
fore made parties defendant by those of the name and names of the 
owner or owners interested in lots 21 and 22 in block 2 in the sub- 
division of the north half of the south-east quarter of section 8, Town- 
ship 36 north, Range 15 east of the third principal meridian; also lots 2, 
4, 29, 30, 40, 41, 42 in block 3, and lot 4 in block 4 in the sub-division 
of the south half of the north half of the south-east quarter of the south- 
west quarter of section 8, township 40 north, range 15 east of the third 
principal meridian, all of said property being situated in the County of 
Cook and State of Illinois ; that the rights and interests of said unknown 
owner or owners in and to said premises, if any they have, are subor- 
dinate and subject to the lien of said trust deed. 

Complainant states that Henry C. King and said unknown owner 
or owners claim same interest in said premises as owners of the equity 
of redemption thereon, or otherwise, and complainant states that the 
rights and interests of said parties and to said premises are subordinate 
and subject to the lien of said trust deed. 



MODERN DICTATION 163 

Complainant states that there is due complainant the sum of five 
hundred and twenty-five dollars ($525), as principal on each of said 
notes, together with the interest which has accrued on the number of 
notes from the 13th day of June, 1901, with interest upon said over-due 
interest coupons ; that default has been made in the payment of interest 
due upon each of said notes, which became due on the 13th day of 
December, 1901, on the 13th day of June, and the 13th day of December, 
1902 ; that default has also been made in the payment of insurance and 
taxes upon said premises, and that pursuant to the provisions of said 
trust deed the complainant has elected to declare entire amount secured 
by said principal notes due and payable and to foreclose said trust deed. 

Complainant further prays that on the file of this bill the court will 
appoint a receiver for the said premises with the powers of equity of 
rents, issues and profits thereof, pending this suit, and until the time 
of redemption of said premises in sale made hereinunder shall expire. 

Complainant further states that in and by the terms of said trust 
deed it was stipulated and agreed that in case said first party should at 
any time decree a release of any of the said lots, the trustee therein was 
authorized upon payment of two hundred dollars ($200), for each lot 
to be released, to execute and deliver such release deed; complainant 
states that in accordance with said stipulations as to release, on Novem- 
ber 27, 1901, the said Henry C. King paid therein the sum of two hun- 
dred dollars ($200); one hundred dollars ($100) of each payment was 
thereupon duly endorsed upon each of said principal notes as of said 
November 27, 1901, and thereupon the trustee in said trust deed duly 
executed and delivered to the said Henry C. King a release deed to 
lot 3 in block 4 in the south division of the south half of the north 
half of the south-west quarter of the north-west quarter of section 
8, township 40 north, range 15 east of the third principal meridian 
in said County of Cook, Illinois, which said premises last mentioned 
are a portion of the premises described in the trust deed hereinafter 
described. 

Complainant states that one hundred and twenty-five dollars 
($125) is a reasonable sum to be allowed for his solicitors' fees in the 
case. 

Complainant states that premises conveyed by said trust deed are 
still to remain unreleased from the lien thereon, which scant meager 
security for the payment of the amount of indebtedness now due com- 
plainant as aforesaid. 

Complainant further prays that if the premises so sold shall not 
be redeemed in the time and manner provided by law, then the defend- 



164 , MODERN DICTATION 

ants of all parties' claim by, to or under oath since the commencement 
of this suit shall stand forever barred and foreclosed, and from any 
title, right, and interest in and to said premises sold, or any part thereof, 
and thereupon the purchaser at said sale, his heirs or assigns, shall 
receive a master's deed for said premises and may be let into possession 
thereof. 

Complainant further prays that if the proceeds of said sale shall be 
insufficient to satisfy the amount due for any deficiency against the 
said Henry C. King and any person or persons who may be personally 
liable therefor, 

Complainant further prays for such further and different relief 
of their circumstances of the case as it may require and to your Honors 
shall seem meet, and 

Complainant will ever pray, etc. 

Charles Morrison, 

Alexander Hamilton, 

His Solicitor. 



MODERN DICTATION 



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COURT REPORTING 



Case opened by Mr. Marvin. 

Plaintiff's Counsel: We now offer in evidence an assignment of the 
lease of the oil-wells referred to in the complaint. 

Plaintiff's Counsel: We now offer in evidence an agreement made 
by Mr. Collingwood at the time of the execution of the instrument, by 
which it shows a mortgage was turned out, and what was to be done 
with the interest on it. 

MILO BARBER, called and sworn for the plaintiff and examined 
by Mr. Marvin, testified as follows: 

Q. You are a son-in-law of the plaintiff? 

A. I am, sir. 

Q. And where do you reside? 

A. At Roselle, N. J., at the time of this transaction. 

Q. Where do you now reside? 

A. At Reed's Creek, in this county; in the town of Tompkins. 

Q. Where did you reside in December, 1902 ? 

A. I resided at that time at Roselle, N. J. 

Q. At some little time before the 28th or 29th of December, and 
you may tell how long, did Mr. Patrick and Mr. Stoddard come to see 
Mr. Patterson? 

A. Yes, sir, they did; they were there in the latter part, I think, 
of December, 1902. 

Q. What was Mr. Patterson's condition as to health at that time? 

A. At that time he had been very sick for about thirteen weeks 
with typhoid fever. 

Q. Was he convalescing? 

A. He was just getting so he was sitting up around in the room, 
and had not been out of doors at that time, I think. 

Q. Subsequently did Mr. Stoddard return to Mr. Patterson's? 

A. He returned, I think, inside of a week. 

Q. Did Mr. Stoddard return a paper with him which he exhibited 
to you? 

A. Yes, sir. 

169 



170 MODERN DICTATION 

Q. Purporting to be a power of attorney? 

A. Yes, sir. 

Objected to. 

•The Court: The paper is the best evidence, I think; it may stand 
or the purpose of identification simply. 

Q. What do you know, or have reason to believe, as to what be- 
came of the paper? 

Objected to. 

Objection sustained. 

Q. What do you know as to what became of the paper? I will 
ask first if Mr. Stoddard took the paper away with him ? 

A. He did. 

Q. Did you have a subsequent conversation with Mr. Stoddard in 
relation to that paper and transaction ? 

A. I did. 

Q. What was the conversation between you and Mr. Stoddard? 

Objected to as the conversation of a third party. 

The Court: I don't think it is competent so far. 

Q. Is Mr. Stoddard dead? 

A. I understand he is. 

Q. Has there been search made to find that paper at Mr. Stod- 
dard's residence? 

A. So I understand. 

Objected to and asked to strike out the answer. 

The Court: Strike it out; if he knows there has been, he may swear 
to it. 

A. I know there has been. 

Q. From personal knowledge? 

A. No, sir; from letters from that section. 

Q. Did you notice the signature to that paper? 

A. I did. 

Q. You have seen Mr. Collingwood's signature? 

A. I have a number of times. 

Q. Tell the jury whether the signature on that paper was Mr. 
Collingwood's signature or not. 

Objected to on the ground that the paper itself is the best evidence. 

The Court: He may show that fact, but when he comes to show the 
paper that is a different thing. It can do no harm. 

Q. Tell whether it was Mr. Collingwood's signature on that paper? 

A. I have seen his signature a number of times, and the ^g^ture 
was similar to that. 



MODERN DICTATION 171 

CROSS-EXAMINATION by Mr. Baker. 
Q. Did you ever see Mr. Collingwood write his signature? 
A. I cannot say now for certain. 
Q. You have seen the papers he had signed? 
'A. I have seen the papers he signed and executed. 
Q. If you didn't see him sign them, you did not know he signed 
them? 

A. I can't say I saw him sign them. 

Q. And you have seen papers you understood he had signed. 
A. Which no one else but him could have signed. 
Q. You have seen papers you understood he had signed? 
A. Yes, sir. 

Q. Are you positive he signed them? 
A. Yes, sir. 

Q. What is there about this signature that causes you to recognize 
it as Mr. Collingwood's signature. 

A. "Well, I do not know that I can explain that just now. 
Mr. Barker — 

Q. Here are a number of signatures and I wish you would select 
from them Mr. Collingwood's signature. 
A. This is Mr. Collingwood's signature. 
Mr. Marvin — 

Q. Are there any others in the lot? 
A. No, sir. 

Q. Do you know whose signature this is ? 
A. Yes, sir. 

Q. You may tell the jury whose you think it is? 
A. Mr. Patterson's. 

William L. Tennf was duly sworn and examined as follows: 

By the Court. 

Q. Have you formed or expressed an opinion in relation to the 
guilt or innocence of the prisoner at the bar, John H. Surratt ? 

A. I have. 

Q. You have both formed and expressed an opinion? 

A. I have. 

Q. Have you conscientious scruples against rendering a verdict 
of guilty, where the punishment is death, provided the evidence be such 
as would satisfy you of the guilt of the party accused? 

A. I have none. 

Q. But you say you have formed and expressed an opinion as to 
the guilt or innocence of the party accused? 



172 MODERN DICTATION 

A. I have. 

By the District Attorney. 

Q. Will you state when and to whom you have expressed that 
opinion? 

A. I have expressed that opinion generally in conversation with 
my family. 

Q. Upon what evidence was this opinion based? 

A. Not upon any evidence, but upon common report, such as 
Surratt's leaving the country. 

Q. Is that all? 

A. That is all. Not upon any knowledge of the facts of the case, 
or from hearing any evidence in relation to it. Upon common report, 
such as Surratt's escaping from the country. 

By Mr. Bradley. 

Q. Have you not talked very freely on the subject, and expressed 
your opinions very decidedly? 

A. I do not think I have expressed any opinion publicly. It has 
been in casual conversation with my family. It may be possible that 
I have expressed it to others than to members of my family, but I do 
not think I have. 

The Court: I think, under the ruling of Judge Marshall in the case 
of Burr, this juror is exceptionable. 

By the District Attorney: I hope, before ruling definitely upon the 
question, the Court will hear argument upon it. 

The Court: I have no pride of opinion upon the subject, and am 
ready to hear argument upon it. Mr. Tenney will stand aside for the 
present. 



MODERN DICTATION 173 



REASONS OF FAILURE 

I would name, first, a lack of special preparation on the part of 
young men for special occupations or professions. Most boys 25 get 
a fair general education, and when that is done, take hold of the thing 
which promises the most immediate return for their labor, not 50 stop- 
ping to look forward to the end, or to consult their adaptability to that 
business or profession. Some look only to see what standing it 75 
would give them in society; others consider if it will enable them to 
dress in fine clothing and make a good appearance. 

Next stands the 10 ° mistake of young men in being in too much of 
a hurry to spend money as fast as others, a desire to appear in better 
circumstances 125 than they really are, and a pressure to get ahead faster 
than they learn their business. In this way, one often climbs a ladder 
before 150 the foundation is made secure ; and afterwards, when he has 
to take the responsibility, does not know all his business and has to 
intrust a 175 part of it to others, and he does not know whether they are 
doing it right or not. By and by, when he thinks he is 200 safe and 
beyond danger, the foundation corner, which he trusted to some one 
else, has given away and he is overthrown. He needs to know 225 his 
own business, so he can tell when it is run right. 

Another great mistake is when a young man sees his name on a 250 
sign, he is apt to think that his fortune is made, and so begins to spend 
money as though he had got beyond any chances 275 of failure. An- 
other common mistake is that men, old as well as young, are too ready 
to use their credit, not realizing that the goods 300 bought on credit are 
not theirs, and that a pay day is coming. When they find their notes 
coming due, and have not the money 325 with which to pay them, they 
are tempted to sell goods without a profit, for the sake of getting money 
or notes which they can 35 ° turn into money. Just the moment a man 
is obliged to do that, he is not a master of his own business, and, as a 375 
rule, it is only a matter of a little time when he will have to go down. 

(397) 

IN THE DAYS OF THE MAYFLOWER 

Now let us go back and see the conditions in England from 1600 
to 1620 out of which these people came. It was before the truth about 
the solar system had been accepted. The telescope was invented, and 
the first four satellites of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and the phases 
of Venus were discovered in these two decades. It was while our 
forefathers were in Holland that Galileo was punished by the Inquisition 



174 MODERN DICTATION 

for saying that the earth was round and moved in space. Neither the 
barometer nor the mercurial thermometer was known. The circulation 
of the blood had not been discovered. There were no clocks with 
oscillating pendulums. It was sixty years before the discovery of the 
law of gravitation. Newton's Principia was presented to the Royal 
Society in 1686. There was no knowledge of the original or prismatic 
colors, and none of the progressive motion of light. It was more than 
a century before it was demonstrated that the surface of the earth has 
an orderly and geological stratification. No one thought of water being 
composed of oxygen and hydrogen gases. 

Life was monotonous, slow, and serious at the opening of the 
seventeenth century. Few of the people could read and write. There 
were nobles who lacked that accomplishment. There were no free 
schools. Oxford and Cambridge, with here and there a fitting school 
for sons of noble birth, comprised the English school system for that 
and a much later time. Most of the people lived in cottages thatched 
with straw. There were no stoves: even chimneys were practically 
unknown. Pewter dishes were aristocratic inventions which promised 
to drive out wooden ones. Table-knives were beginning to assert 
themselves, but fingers did for forks many long years yet. There was 
no china nor even tinware upon the table. The weaving was done 
by hand power. Friction matches were in the future. Looking- 
glasses were just beginning to come over from France to take the place 
of little steel reflectors. Underclothing was not used. The queen 
had the monopoly of starch. There was not even a weekly paper in all 
England, and it was a full hundred years before there was a daily paper 
in London. There were 225,000 people in London, but there was not 
a street light in the city for a hundred and sixty years after this. There 
were no pavements or water pipes or sewerage systems. Fires were not 
uncommon, but there were no fire-engines. If one were afflicted by 
flame he did escape the rough hoof of a professional fire department. 
The conditions menaced health continually. There was lack of wooden 
floors and carpets; the dirt floors were covered with rushes, and the 
houses were often foul. Fens, forty or fifty miles long, reeked with 
miasma. Where the people gathered in towns the filth gathered also. 
Bathing was not common. Smallpox, measles, and scarlet fever were 
thought all the same. The masses had no physicians. The death rate 
was one to twenty-three; now it is one to forty. It was more than 
two hundred years before illuminating gas, before. sails were aided by 
steam upon the high seas, before railroads, before portraiture by in- 
stantaneous processes, before cheap postage and prepayment by 



MODERN DICTATION 175 

stamps. The forests were great and many, and the roads wfcre very- 
bad. The few letters were carried, at irregular intervals, on horseback, 
about five miles an hour, and for a charge larger than a day's wages. 
When Elizabeth died it took three days and three hours to carry the 
news at top speed from London to York, 190 miles. There were no 
steam engines for any purpose. Of course, electricity had not touched 
life with its revolutionizing charm. In short, very little of the condi- 
tions of life of three hundred years ago remains to us save the land and 
the sea and the sky. — From "The Mayflower: Fore and Aft," by 
Andrew S. Draper. 

SUBURBAN VS. URBAN 

We were in search of quietness. The city has many charms and 
many conveniences as a place of residence, and there are those who, 
having accustomed themselves to the methods of life that prevail 
among the dense populations of the great towns, can hardly find hap- 
piness and comfort elsewhere. But although the gregarious instinct is 
strong within me, I cannot endure to be crowded. I love my fellow- 
man with inexpressible affection, but oftentimes he seems more lovable 
when I behold him at a distance. I yearn occasionally for human 
society, but I prefer to have it only when I choose, not at all times and 
seasons without intermission. In the city, however, it is impossible 
to secure solitude when it is desired. If I live, as I must, in one of a 
row of houses, the partition walls upon both sides are likely to be thin. 
It is possible that I may have upon the one hand a professor of music 
who gives, throughout the day, maddening lessons to muscular pupils, 
and practices scales himself with energetic persistency during the 
night. Upon the other side there may be a family which cherishes 
two or three infants and sustains a dog. As a faint whisper will pene- 
trate the almost diaphanous wall, the mildest as well as the most violent 
of the nocturnal demonstrations of the children disturb my sleep, and 
when these have ceased, the dog will probably bark boisterously in the 
yard. If there is not a boiler-making establishment in the street at 
the rear of the house, there will be a sawmill with a steam whistle, and 
it is tolerably certain that my neighbor over the way will either have a 
vociferous daughter who keeps the window open while she sings, or 
will permit his boy to perform upon a drum. There is incessant noise 
in street and yard and dwelling. There is perpetual, audible evidence 
of the active existence of human beings. There is too much crowding 
and too little opportunity for absolute withdrawal from the confusion 
and from contact with the restless energy of human life. It has always 



176 MODERN DICTATION 

seemed to me that village life is the happiest and the most comfortable, 
and that the busy city man who would establish his home where he can 
have repose without inconvenience and discomfort should place it 
amid the trees and flowers arid by the grassy highway of some pretty 
hamlet, where the noise of the world's greater commerce never comes, 
and where isolation and companionship are both possible without an 
effort. 

Such a home, planted judiciously in half an acre, where children 
can romp and play, and where one can cultivate a few flowers and 
vegetables, mingling the sentimental heliotrope with the practical cab- 
bage, and the ornamental verbena with the useful onion, may be made 
an earthly paradise. There must not be too much ground, for then it 
becomes a burden and a care. There are few city men who have the 
agricultural impulse so strong in them that they will find delight, after 
a day of mental labor and excitement, in rasping a garden with a hoe, 
in the hope of securing a vegetable harvest. A very little exercise of , 
that kind, in most cases, suffices to moderate the horticultural enthu- 
siasm of the inexperienced citizen. It is pleasant enough to weed a 
few flowers, or to toss a spadeful or two of earth about the roots of the 
grapevine, when you feel disposed to such mild indulgence in exercise, 
but when the garden presents tasks which must be performed, no matter 
what the frame of mind or the condition of the body, you are apt, 
for the first time, to have a thorough comprehension of the meaning 
of the curse uttered against the ground when Adem went forth from 
Eden. It is far better and cheaper to hire a competent man to cultivate 
the little field ; then in your leisure moments you may set out the cab- 
bage plants upside down, and place poles for the strawberry vines to 
clamber upon, well knowing that if evil is done it will be corrected on 
the morrow when the offender is far away, and when the maledictions 
of the agricultural expert, muttered as he relieves the vegetables from 
the jeopardy in which ignorance has placed them, cannot reach your 
ears. I like a house not too cold, but having outward comeliness, 
with judicious arrangement of interior, and all of those convenient 
contrivances of the plumber, the furnace-maker, and the bell-hanger, 
which make the merest mite of a modern dwelling incomparably superior 
in comfort to the most stupendous of marble palaces in the ancient 
times. I would have no neighbor's house within twenty yards, and I 
would esteem it a most fortunate thing, if, through the foliage, I could 
obtain constant glimpses of some shining stream, upon whose bosom 
ships glide to and fro, and on which I could sometimes find solace and 
exercise in rowing, fishing, and sailing. — Charles Heber Clark. 



MODERN DICTATION . 177 



THE HUMAN RACE IS ENFEEBLED BY 
SUCCESS 

Nations, like men, have their periods of infancy, youth, manhood, 
and old age. They grow strong, and then lapse into senility and 
decay. One generation destroys what another produces, and a new 
nation steps in and crushes the weakened state, as wolves upon the 
prairie fall upon the horses that grow old and lame. 

To-day the descendants of the noble Romans sell themselves for 
hire, and dig, hew, and carry that America may have buildings that 
scrape the sky, and railroads over which men are carried to their desti- 
nation like the eagle's flight. 

Far be it from me to decry the masterly enterprise of the strenuous 
men who are making America great, but wise men perceive the day 
when the sons of men who own the buildings that scrape the sky will 
toil and sweat, enslaved by a race of barbarians yet unborn. That 
which has happened will happen under like conditions. 

"In time of peace prepare for war," is the advice of a fool. So 
long as we prepare for war we will have war — we have anything that 
we prepare for. So long as men accumulate wealth that their children 
shall not work, and so long as the rottenness of gentility shall be un- 
perceived by the many, so long will one generation weaken itself by 
consuming what another has created. The use of power to form a 
superior class is the one thing that has wrecked the world and made 
calamity of so long life. This superior class has even been a menace, 
sometimes a curse. Its distinguishing feature is to exclude — it is 
ossified selfishness as opposed to enlightened self-interest. It has its 
rise unusually in humility, often coming in the name of liberty, and by 
bestowing a benefit gets a grip on things; then it begins to consume 
and ceases to produce. The preacher and the soldier have always been 
a necessary part of its fabric — the soldier protects the priest and the 
priest absolves the soldier. The country that has the largest army and 
the greatest number of preachers, doctors, and lawyers is nearest death. 
The superior class is a burden. No nation ever survived it long, none 
ever can. 

This volunteer superior class has always thought that good is to be 
gained by side-stepping labor, by wearing costly and peculiar clothing, 
by being carried in a palanquin, by riding in a carriage or being pro- 
pelled in an automobile, by being waited on by servants, by eating and 
drinking at midnight, by attaining a culture that is beyond the reach 
12 



178 MODERN DICTATION 

of most, by owning things that only a few can enjoy — these are the 
ambitions of the self-appointed superior class. 

Most of the colleges and universities of Christendom have cursed 
mankind by inculcating the idea that to belong to the superior class 
was a very desirable thing. Every college professor, until yesterday, 
urged us to attach ourselves to the superior class by hook or by crook. 
All who do not belong want to belong and look forward to the day 
when they may — the example infects, then pollutes and poisons. 
The thought of education largely is, that it sets one apart and fits him 
for good society — this superior class. Education is for social distinc- 
tion. To be simply useful is not enough, you must also be clever; 
hence come Oxford and Cambridge and offer to bestow degrees, vouch- 
ing distinction that will at once place you in the superior class — for 
a consideration. 

The superior class lives by its wits, or on the surplus earned by 
slaves or men who are dead. You are dead yourself when you live on 
the labor of dead men — you are so near drowning that you clutch 
society and pull it under with you. 

To exclude is to be excluded. When the superior class shuts out 
the poor and so-called ignorant it is deprived of all the spiritual benefit 
the lowly have to give. Caste is a Chinese wall that shuts people in as 
well as cut. If you can make people kind, not merely respectable, the 
problem of the ages will be solved. — Elbert Hubbard, in New York 
Herald. 

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BOSTON 
MASSACRE 

My Ever-Honored Fellow-citizens: 

It is not without the most humiliating conviction of my want of 
ability that I now appear before you; but the sense I have of the 
obligation I am under to obey the calls of my country at all times, 
together with an animating recollection of your indulgence exhibited 
upon so many occasions, has induced me once more, undeserving as 
I am, to throw myself upon that candor which looks with kindness 
on the feeblest efforts of an honest mind. 

You will not now expect the elegance, the learning, the fire, the 
enrapturing strains of eloquence which charmed you when a Lovell, a 
Church, or a Handcock spake; but you will permit me to say that with 
a sincerity equal to theirs I mourn over my bleeding country. With 
them I weep at her distress, and with them deeply resent the many 
injuries she has received from the hands of cruel and unreasonable men. 



MODERN DICTATION 179 

That personal freedom is the natural right of every man, and that 
property, or an exclusive right to dispose of what he has honestly 
acquired by his own labor, necessarily arises therefrom, are truths 
which common sense has placed beyond the reach of contradiction. 
And no man or body of men can, without being guilty of flagrant 
injustice, claim a right to dispose of the persons or acquisitions of any 
other man, or body of men, unless it can be proved that such a right 
has arisen from some compact between the parties, in which it has been 
explicitly and freely granted. 

If I may be indulged in taking a retrospective view of the first 
settlement of our country, it will be easy to determine with what degree 
of justice the late Parliament of Great Britain has assumed the power 
of giving away that property which the Americans have earned by 
their labor. 

Our fathers having nobly resolved to wear the yoke of despotism, 
and seeing the European world at that time, through indolence and 
cowardice, falling a prey to'tyranny, bravely threw themselves upon the 
bosom of the ocean, determined to find a place in v/hich they might 
enjoy their freedom or perish in the glorious attempt. 

Having redeemed your country, and secured the blessing to future 
generations, who, fired by your example, shall emulate your virtues, 
and learn from you the heavenly art of making millions happy, with 
heartfelt joy, with transports all your own, you cry, "The glorious 
work is done!" then drop the mantle to some young Elisha, and take 
your seats with kindred spirits in your native skies. — Joseph Warren. 

THE INAUGURATION OF WASHINGTON 

Washington's inauguration fell on the last day of April. He 
quitted Mount Vernon on the 16th of the month, and came by the most 
direct road through Baltimore and Philadelphia to New York. The 
journey, even at that time of the year, might easily have been made in 
five days, but he was much delayed by the hearty receptions given 
him along the entire route. 

He was feasted at Alexandria. He was entertained at George- 
town. He was warmly received at Philadelphia. The people of that 
city had selected Gray's Ferry as a place to meet him, and had taxed 
their ingenuity to the utmost to devise decorations worthy of the occa- 
sion. The bridge, a mean and rude structure, was hidden under cedars 
and laurel, flags and liberty-caps ; two triumphal arches were put up 
and signals arranged to give warning of his coming. 



180 MODERN DICTATION 

At last, about noon on the 20th, the flag in the ferry-garden was 
dropped, and soon after the President was seen riding slowly down 
the hill and under the first arch, where a laurel crown was let fall upon 
his head. From the bridge he want on in company with governor 
Mifflin and the troups to Philadelphia, where he lay that night. The 
moment he entered the city limits the bells of all the churches were 
rung and a salute was fired. The President was much affected. As 
he moved down Market Street to the city tavern, every face seemed 
to say, " Long live George Washington! " 

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD THEY 
SHOULD DO UNTO YOU 

The desire of being pleased is universal, the desire of pleasing should 
be so too ; it is included in that great and fundamental principal of 
morality of doing to others what one wishes that they should do to us. 

The benevolent and feeling heart performs this duty with pleasure, 
and in a manner that gives it at the same time; but the great, the 
rich, and the powerful too often bestow their favors upon their inferiors 
in the manner that they bestow their scraps upon their dogs, so as 
neither to oblige man nor dog. 

It is no wonder if favors, benefits, and even charities thus ungra- 
ciously bestowed should be as coldly and faintly acknowledged. Grati- 
tude is a burden upon our imperfect nature, and we are but too willing 
to ease ourselves of it, or at least to lighten it as much as we can. The 
manner, therefore, of conferring favors or benefits is, as to pleasing, 
almost as important as the matter itself. Take care, then, never to 
throw away the obligations which you may perhaps have it in your 
power to lay upon others by an air of insolent protection, or by a cold, 
comfortless, and perfunctory manner which stifles them in their birth. 
Humanity inclines, religion requires, and our moral duty obliges us to 
relieve, as far as we are able, the distresses and miseries of our fellow- 
creatures; but this is not all, for a true, heartfelt benevolence and 
tenderness will prompt us to contribute what we can to their ease, 
their amusement, and their pleasure as far as innocently we may. 

Let us, then, not only scatter benefits, but even strew flowers for 
our fellow-travelers in the rugged ways of this wretched world. There 
are some, and but too many in this country more particularly, who, 
without the least visible taint of ill-nature or malevolence, seem to be 
totally indifferent, and do not show the least desire to please, as on 
the other hand they never designedly offend. Whether this Droceeds 



MODERN DICTATION 181 

from a lazy, negligent, and listless disposition, from a gloomy and 
melancholic nature, or from a secret and sullen pride arising from 
the consciousness of their boasted liberty and independency is hard 
to determine, considering the various movements of the human heart 
and the wonderful errors of the human mind; but, be the cause what 
it will, that neutrality which is the effect of it makes these people, as 
neutralities always do, despicable and mere blanks in society. They 
would surely be roused from this indifference if they would seriously 
consider the infinite utility of pleasing. 

SWALLOWING A FLY 

A country meeting-house. A midsummer Sabbath. The air lazy 
and warm. The graveyard around about oppressively still. The 
white slabs here and there shining in the light like the drifted snows 
of death, and not a grass-blade rustling as though a sleeper had stirred 
in his dream. 

We had come to the middle of our sermon, when a large fly, taking 
advantage of the opened mouth of the speaker, darted into our throat. 
The crisis was upon us. Shall we cough and eject this impertinent 
intruder, or let him silently have his way? We had no precedent to 
guide us. We knew not what the fathers of the church did in like 
circumstances, or the mothers either. We are not informed that 
Chrysostom ever turned himself into a fly-trap. We knew not what 
the Synod of Dort would have said to a minister's eating flies during 
religious services. 

Besides this, we are not fond of flies prepared in this way. We 
have, no doubt, often taken them preserved in blackberry jam, or in 
the poorly lighted eating-house taken them done up in Stewart's 
sirup. But fly in the raw was a diet from which we recoiled. We 
would have preferred it roasted or fried or panned or baked, and 
to have chosen our favorite part, the upper joint and a little of the 
breast, if you "please, sir. But no! it was wings, proboscis, feet, 
poisers, and alimentary canal. There was no choice; it was all or 
none. 

We concluded to take down the nuisance. We rallied all our 
energies. It was the most animated passage in all our discourse. We 
were not at all hungry for anything, much less for such hastily pre- 
pared viands. We found it no easy job. The fly evidently wanted 
to back out. "No!" we said within ourselves, "too late to retreat. 
You are in for it now!" 



182 MODERN DICTATION 

And so we conquered, giving a warning to flies and men that it is 
easier to get into trouble than to get out again. We have had the thing 
on our mind ever since we had it in our stomach, and so we come to 
this confessional. You know that we did the wisest thing that could 
be done; and yet how many people spend their time in elaborate and 
long-continued and convulsive ejection of flies which they ought to 
swallow and have done with. 

Your husband's thoughtlessness is an exceeding annoyance. He 
is a good man, no better husband since Adam gave up a spare rib as a 
nucleus around which to gather a woman. But he is careless about 
where he throws his slippers. On the top of one of your best parlor 
books he has laid a plug of pig-tail tobacco. For fifteen years you 
have lectured him about leaving the newspaper on the floor. Do not 
let such little things interfere with your domestic peace. Better 
swallow the fly and have done with it. 

Here is a critic, to you a perpetual annoyance. He has no great 
capacity himself, but he keeps up a constant buzzing. You write a 
book, he caricatures it. You make a speech, he sneers at it. You 
never open your mouth but he flies into it. You have used up a 
magazine of powder in trying to curtail the sphere of that insect. You 
chased him around the corner of a Quarterly Review. You hounded 
him out from the cellar of a newspaper. You stop the urgent work of 
life to catch one poor fly. 

It never pays to hunt a fly. You clutch at him. You sweep 
your hand convulsively through the air. You wait till he alights on 
your face, and then give a fierces lap on the place where he was. You 
slyly wait till he crawls up your sleeve, and then give a violent crush 
to the folds of your coat to find out that it was a different fly from the 
one you were searching after. That one sits laughing at your vexation 
from the tip of your nose. So with the unclean critics that crawl over 
an author's head. You cannot destroy them with bludgeons. O 
man! go on with your life work! If, opening your mouth to say the 
thing that ought to be said, a fly dart in, SWALLOW IT ! 

Had we stopped on the aforesaid day to kill the insect, at the 
same time we would have killed our sermon. We would not waste 
our time on such a combat. Truth ought not to be wrecked on an 
insect's proboscis. You are all ordained to some mission by. the 
laying on of the hard hands of work, the white hands of joy, and the 
black hands of trouble. Whether your pulpit be a blacksmith's anvil 
or carpenter's bench or merchant's counter, do not stop for a fly. — 
T. DeWitt Talmage. 



MODERN DICTATION 183 



GREATNESS AND SMARTNESS 

My young friends, don't mistake smartness for greatness. As a 
rule, a smart boy makes a shrewd, long-headed schemer — a man of 
questionable methods. 

A smart boy is in great danger of being spoiled by being told so 
often that he is smart, and also because by cunning, shrewd methods 
he frequently can do, quickly and easily, things which other boys can 
only accomplish by a great deal of hard work. 

It is a sorry day for a boy when he discovers that he can achieve 
his ends by cunning and indirection instead of by hard work. He 
thinks he has found a short cut to success, or a substitute for plodding, 
and the moment he becomes possessed with this idea that he can get 
his living more easily than other people he is doomed to failure. 

It is a dangerous business, this trying to find short cuts to one's 
goal. Our prisons and jails are full of men who thought they had 
found an easy way to success, and tried to shorten the road to the goal. 
Hundreds of these wretches, now wearing the striped suits of disgrace, 
spent more time and energy in trying to get a living by cunning, long- 
headed methods and questionable pursuits than would have secured 
for them an ample competence and an honorable reputation. 

Clean, straight methods are always best. The moment a young 
man shows the least sign of crookedness he arouses suspicion and 
challenges confidence ; he works at a great disadvantage — a disadvan- 
tage which it will require an enormous amount of hard work to coun- 
teract. When suspicion is aroused, confidence is lost or credit is 
questioned; complete rehabilitation of character is very difficult. A 
broken piece of china may be mended so that it will look almost as 
good as new, but one is always distrustful of it, and never feels per- 
fectly safe in using it. So there is always a doubt of the character 
which has once been smirched, badly wrenched, or marred. Most 
people are. afraid of a mended, patched-up character. They dare not 
trust it. The world keeps its eyes on the weak places in one's armor, 
and the fact that a man is constantly under the ban of suspicion makes 
his complete success extremely difficult. My young friends, especially 
the "smart" ones, you should not forget that the only sure and safe 
road to worthy achievement of any kind is straightforwardness, honesty, 
and absolute rectitude of purpose, and that anything else is not only 
questionable, but is also risky and sure to be fatal to the only real 
success — character. 



184 MODERN DICTATION 

The truly great man, who esteems manhood beyond riches, does 
not do things by indirection, and does not make stealing legal by 
accomplishing it with a long head instead of a long arm. He keeps to 
the straight road, no matter what temptations assail him or what 
inducements urge him to wander into crooked by-paths. He shows 
in his every action the difference between smartness and greatness. 
* After all, the great thing in a career is the development of man- 
hood. The lawyer is nothing without the man. Of what value is a 
merchant who has made a fortune but has left his manhood behind, has 
dropped his character on the way, and has belittled his nobler self by 
cunning, scheming, roundabout methods to get dollars? The clergy- 
man, the physician, the teacher, the writer, the artist, — what do they 
amount to if their manhood is not larger than their vocation? 

We never know how good a thing is until we see the imitation. 



SOCIOLOGY 

Sociology is the science which considers the fundamental laws 
of association and the means of social progress. It is thus distinguished 
from the special problems of human association treated as Economics, 
Political Science, Ethics, etc. 

Sociology as a distinct science is comparatively new, but it is 
increasingly engaging the attention of thinkers and philanthropists, 
and gives promise of large results for human betterment. 

Sociology is the coming study. The spirit of Christianity, now 
appearing in its completeness, reveals more clearly than in any former 
century the problems of society and the duty of the individual toward 
them. The Sixteenth Century taught the lesson of individualism; 
the Twentieth Century will show that altruism is the crown of indi- 
vidual worth. 

The sociologists assume the test of all effort to aid others in the 
welfare and progress of the race as a whole ; that sentimentality is often 
substituted for plain wisdom in dealing with the unfortunate; and 
that society is endangered by ignoring essential principles, and be- 
stowing indiscriminate charity. Scientists agree, however, that the 
most tender regard for human life, and compassion for suffering and 
need must be preserved, because the development of society is based 
on sympathy. 

Our conduct depends more upon feeling than upon any mere 
intellectual view of our obligations. 



MODERN DICTATION 185 



NATIONAL UNITY 

The republic of to-day and tomorrow is a theme that appeals to 
every patriot who loves his country, and looks forward to the time 
when America shall become the teacher of the world in liberty and 
free institutions. The historian gives us the America of yesterday; 
the student of events gives the America of to-day ; the prophet and the 
man of vision beholds far off and future things and discovers the 
America of tomorrow. The task of the historian is by comparison a 
simple task. Looking back upon the rise and growth of a nation, 
the historian finds it easy to show how climate, food, seacoast and 
mountain range have modified a racial stock, and given a people its 
place among the nations of the earth. 

One thing, however, can be done by the patriot who is interested in 
the future of the republic. He can make a careful analysis of the 
intellectual and political, the economic and moral conditions, that 
have always preceded the golden age of cities like Athens and Florence, 
of countries like France, Holland, and England, and then he can ask 
whether conditions like these are found to-day in American Society. 



THE PASSING OF SECTIONALISM IN THE 
NEW SOUTH AND NORTH 

Nearly half a century has passed since the clash of arms resounded 
on Virginia fields, and opened the most destructive and momentous 
conflict of modern times. The intervening years have been many 
and long, but neither time nor events have availed to diminish the 
importance of that struggle or to lessen the value of its results. Bitter 
was the conflict, for the great Rebellion was perhaps the fiercest war 
that has ever shaken the earth. 

But time has taught us how God overruled the events of the war. 
Stonewall Jackson believed in his cause with the ardor and enthusiasm 
with which the crusaders fought for the tomb in Jerusalem. When 
Providence decided against state sovereignty, and for Nation's sover- 
eignty, they said, "It is the will of God," and they accepted the arbitra- 
ment of war. Go into the South to-day and you find the same fidelity 
to the republic that you find in the North. Do not think that New 
York has a monopoly of patriotism and love of the republic, above 
Atlanta or New Orleans. 



186 MODERN DICTATION 



THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS 

No matter when we begin our Christmas preparations, it is sure 
not to be early enough; the great holiday never finds us with that 
comfortable sense of good work well done, which we have striven for. 
Nor is the failure wholly due to our own weakness and lack of fore- 
sight; something must be allowed for the fact that the approach of 
Christmas sharpens the memory and enlarges the heart. Early in 
November, perhaps, we make out a list of those to whom we wish to 
give, this year; we may even begin the working of sofa pillows and 
center-pieces on the verandas of summer hotels when the thermometer 
stands at ninety and December is unthinkably distant; but as time 
draws on we add name after name to our list, and then, on Christmas 
eve, suddenly discover that we have overlooked the last person in the 
world who could be expected to endure it. 

On this fatally long list — fatal to our peace of mind and serenity 
— are several names we wish we could scratch off, but dare not. This 
one has always given to us and we cannot lie in her debt with ease. 
This other is a girlhood's friend, no tie remaining, of all those that 
seemed so unbreakable, except this yearly token of remembrance. 
That one is a forlorn old being whom no one loves — not even we 
ourselves. Perhaps if we did not send her something, she would have 
nothing to mark the day. She deserves nothing? That may be — 
deliver us from being remembered on Christmas day according to our 
deserts! 

Reason as we may, from item to item, we are not altogether happy 
over this list. We cannot escape an uneasy feeling that, if we owe 
the gift, we owe more than the gift. We are haunted with a sense of 
hypocrisy that makes us tear up and rewrite the inscriptions that 
accompany these reluctant offerings, in a futile attempt at sincerity. 
For our comfort let us remember that even a futile attempt may, in 
the long run, count for something; it is not mere wasted energy. We 
may perform the act dutifully now, in the hope of sometime being able 
to perform it with a warmer feeling, recognizing, meanwhile, our 
narrow-heartedness, and trusting that successive Christmases may 
find us broader and sweeter. 

If we stay up till after midnight, tormented by all the little devils 
that delight in a bustle, our fingers all thumbs, and our memories, 
goaded to an unnatural clearness, telling us all sorts of things we 
ought to have thought of sooner but didn't, and don't want to think 



MODERN DICTATION 187 

of now; if at last we drop exhausted into bed, afraid to look at the 
clock, it is hard to put on a holiday face a few hours later and shout, 
"Merry Christmas" in the dawn. 

HOME 

The American is much given to roaming about loose in his large 
country like a restless child in an unfamiliar room. Here and there 
a quiet corner shows that he is taking possession; but for the most 
part there are too many places that invite him for him to remain long 
in any one of them. He is, nevertheless, a home-loving body. He 
may manage to contrive for years in a dug-out, a log cabin, or a fashion- 
able hotel ; but he prefers to have some one belonging to him stay at 
home somewhere and keep a place for him. 

In her younger years the American woman is not at all the sort 
of person likely to oblige him in this particular. She does not seem 
to have the instinct for home in the same degree as her forebears, but 
has, instead, an instinct for freedom and independence, sharpened by 
long repression. Home, if it deprive her of these things, is no place of 
delight to her, but a place of restraint. She tears herself free from it 
and hies her forth to boarding-house and lunch-club, taking up her 
abode with a fair degree of contentment in a little dark room devoid of 
all prettiness. Indeed, the room in which the business girl spends her 
few hours of rest and adornment is likely to be much less attractive than 
her personal appearance would lead one to expect. 

The instinct may be crowded out, but it is still present, and 
asserts itself in various ways — most neticeably at her office. Here 
she keeps a slender vase, filled with flowers bought with her hard- 
earned dimes and quarters from the stand on the street-corner. Here 
too, is a drawer, lined with clean white paper and filled with little boxes 
of pins, needles and thread, scented soap, and a powder-puff. 

On Thanksgiving day when the big box comes, filled with cookies 
and preserves, her heart overflows and she shares all she has, and in 
return gets little dishes of dainties from other girls and with them vicari- 
ous glimpses into other homes. The girls trip from room to room, laden 
with gifts and vocal with chatter about their goodies and the dear 
people who sent them. They describe minutely to one another the 
familiar idiosyncrasies of their uncles and aunts, and discover, as they 
hold forth to sympathetic listeners, an interest in peculiarities which 
heretofore have been merely maddening. In the retrospect, short as 
•it is, these things are softened and seen in a truer perspective. The 



188 MODERN DICTATION 

talk grows wistful and tender as the day deepens, and over these hives 
full of working bees falls, with the Thanksgiving twilight, the blessed 
shadow of home. 



COMING DOWN IN THE WORLD 

It is easier to bear success than to bear failure. There are those 
who, in theory, doubt that statement; but in practice every one is 
eagerly willing to assume whatever burdens success may impose. To 
succeed is to put a certain polish on the cheapest wood. Although 
the coarse grain may be thereby thrown into relief, some one is sure to 
admire it, and it has, to any eye, a certain force and individuality 

Failure, on the contrary, dims all that it touches. The whole 
world questions the value of the man whose outlines are blurred by it. 
Every one knows why he has failed, and nearly every one tells him so. 
A dozen times a day, while the wound is fresh, zealous friends dress it 
with mustard. He winces — and this is, to them, another evidence of 
weakness. 

The worst of the pain lies in the pride that will not die at once 
— that, far from accepting these friendly diagnoses, has quite another 
explanation to offer. We all remember Thackeray's moving picture of 
ruined Mr. Sedley, conning his useless papers, and proving to every 
one, to the waiter in the dingy coffee-house as well as to pitiful Captain 
Dobbin, that the fault was all Bonaparte's. "And I say that the escape 
of Boney from Elba was a damned imposition and plot, sir, in which 
half the powers of Europe were concerned, to bring the funds down 
and ruin the country. That's why I am here, William. That's why 
my name's in the Gazette. Why sir? Because I trusted the Emperor 
of Russia and the Prince Regent." 

Thackeray does not tell us about Mrs. Sedley 's actions at this 
moment, but doubtless she also had her little shams. We have fair 
warrant for imagining that her manner to the faithful servant who 
continued working for her without pay was as lofty as ever. Mrs. 
Sedley would omit no customary demand, and level no barriers of rank. 
Her nearest approach to familiarity would be the cry for sympathy. 

" You know, Blenkinsop, how well I used to live. I ask you, 
can any reasonable person expect me to, drink such tea as this?" 

The need of money is so sordid and depressing a need that it is 
next to impossible to preserve a lofty ideal in the face of it. It is not 
so much the mere privation of accustomed luxuries that hurts — 
though that does hurt — as the inevitable shabbishness and ugliness 



MODERN DICTATION 189 

that results from financial inability to keep up with repairs. Who 
does not know the sense of degradation that comes from covering a 
hole in the carpet with a rug? From shabby bed-covers? From the 
association of solid silver with nicked china and an insufficient supply 
of table-linen? When we fall behind we find ourselves living in a 
hodge-podge of incongruous and unbeautiful wreckage, and our sur- 
roundings daily mortify our taste and our self-respect. 

If we can maintain ourselves sufficiently to work slowly through 
the debris, ordering and arranging it as light dawns upon us, we may 
be rewarded by an intimate perception of what is genuinely beautiful 
and necessary to beautiful living. Such a perception is as rare as it 
is precious in our commercial civilization, where, as Professor Veblin 
so scorchingly points out, the love of ostentatious waste has vitiated 
nearly all our conceptions of decency. To those of us who fall behind 
may be left, possibly, the discovery of the essentials. We may discover 
the fitness of oiled dining-room tables when our fine linen wears out; 
and gain a new respect for space and sunshine in our rooms, as the 
bric-a-brac breaks. Of course the danger is that we will do nothing 
of the kind, but will take to passe-par-touting illustrated newspaper 
supplements and making puffy sofa-pillows out of scraps. Such 
imitation ostentation is even worse than genuine ostentation. We 
wear out our spirits in the effort to attain it, and dip our scant bread 
in bitterness in the effort to preserve it. Why not let everything that, 
under the stress of daily living, proves itself to be rubbish, go on the 
rubbish heap, leaving a reposeful emptiness behind it? 

Although I am thus preaching the virtues of resignation, and of 
making the best of things (and oh! the preaching is easier than the 
practice!), I am not meaning to uphold, even by implication, a state 
of society and of public opinion which fills financial failure full of such 
unnecessary suffering. I do not believe there ought to be poverty or 
ignominy for any but the willfully vicious and idle — also for the 
willfully greedy and self-indulgent. But that belief, though it is worth 
holding and stating — worth some effort to bring into action — cannot 
affect, very appreciably, our immediate problem. That problem is 
how best to huddle together for warmth, while we wait the end of our 
discontent. 

No one need be less lonely than we who come down in the world. 
By force of circumstances we become East Siders, and on the East Side, 
you know, millions of our fellows live. Having come here, is there 
any reason why we should not bring with us such graces and beauties 
of the West Side as will bear transplantation ? We may be compelled 



190 MODERN DICTATION 

to leave behind our liveried servants, and our expensive gewgaws, 
but who shall deprive us of our good manners? of our books? of the 
habit of worthy conversation? 

Here are our new neighbors eager to greet us. No wealth now 
builds its hard barrier between the wide reaches of humanity and our 
own souls. 

WANTED! — A MAN 

"The world has a standing advertisement over the door of every 
profession, every occupation, every calling, 'Wanted — A man.'" 

' ' Wanted — a man who is larger than his calling, who considers 
it a low estimate of his occupation to value it merely as a means of 
getting a living. Wanted, a man who sees self-development, educa- 
tion and culture, discipline and drill, character and manhood, in his 
occupation. 

"Wanted, a man who, no stunted ascetic, is full of life and fire, 
but whose passions are trained to heed a strong will, the servant of a 
tender conscience, who has learned to love all beauty, whether' of 
nature or of arts, to hate all vileness; and to respect others as himself. 

"God calls a man to be upright and pure and generous, but he also 
calls him to be intelligent and skilful and strong and brave. 

"The world wants a man who is educated all over, whose nerves 
are brought to their acutest sensibility, whose brain is cultured, keen, 
incisive, penetrating, broad, liberal, deep; whose hands are deft, 
whose eyes are alert, sensitive, microscopic; whose heart is tender, 
broad, magnanimous, true. 

"The whole world is looking for such a man. Although there are 
millions out of employment, yet it is almost impossible to get just the 
right man in almost any department of life. Every profession and 
every occupation has a standing advertisement all over the world: 
'Wanted, a man.'" 

When Garfield was asked in his youth "what he meant to be,'/ 
he answered: "First of all, I must make myself a man; if I do not 
succeed in that, I can succeed in nothing." As I was traveling in one 
of the southern states I fell in company with Judge D., and entered 
into conversation on the subject of a demand for men. To illustrate 
he said: " We were allowed $1,000 for a court stenographer, and were 
very careful to select one who we were sure was strictly first-class, 
thinking that the salary should get the very best. We found a man 
who was thoroughly qualified and employed him at the salary named. 
We could have gotten stenographers at all prices ranging from $300 



MODERN DICTATION 191 

to $600 salary, but they could not fill the place. The one we selected 
did his work so well that we were unable to keep him, as he was offered 
a salary of SI, 600 by another party, and, of course accepted it." 

There is a demand for good timber; timber that is soft, brittle, 
full of knots, wind shaken, won't do; it must be strong, tough, hard, 
clear of knots; that's the timber in demand. Men who have qualified 
thoroughly in the work they would do, will find a place to earn a living; 
others are left out. Wanted — a man. 

I met Mr. B., who is a large manufacturer, employing over 1,000 
people, whose wages range from $6 to S25 per week, and a few whose 
salaries are from $2,000 to $5,000 a year. "I find it no trouble to get 
help in the departments, where but little ^kill is required; but for the 
places requiring skill and close attention to business, there are vacancies 
all the time. Much attention is given" to watching the workers with 
reference to finding persons who can fill the better positions, prompt- 
ness, thoroughness, attention to details, and especially those who re- 
port for duty every working day in the year. There is always a demand 
in my factory for thorough men." And so it is over all the world. 
Wanted, a man. 

INCOME AND EXPENSES 

Mr. Micawber was made to say by Dickens some very good things. 
Among them was this: "My other piece of advice, Copperfield, you 
know; annual income, twenty pounds, annual expenses, nineteen 
six; result, happiness; annual income twenty pounds, annual ex- 
penses, twenty naught and six; result, misery." 

I have in mind, just now, a striking illustration of this truth. 
Mr. C, when a boy of sixteen, was employed by his brother-in-law 
in a store, at wages of $12.50 per month, and had to board himself. 
He saved $100 that year. You boys who smoke, drink, wear fine 
clothes and pay big livery bills, think of this. Be a man. You say 
you have no show? Do you think so? If you get $25 per month, or 
$300 a year, have you no show? No, of course you have no show. 
Your expenses are $400. You are short $100. You are discouraged, 
you owe your employer, and, although you are no account, you are 
retained because your employer wants to get even with you. Your 
self-respect is gone, you are a piece of fungus, no individuality, no man- 
hood, no qualities that a man should have. When you live beyond 
your income you are very liable to become a thief. You don't want 
your account to show up so ugly. You are tempted to take out 



192 MODERN DICTATION 

ten cents, then a quarter, then a dollar. You like to be regarded as 
one of the "bloods;" fill your pockets with cigars. You think you will 
charge them at first, but your memory gets bad and "you manage to 
forget it. You are no part of a man.- When you use money you have 
not earned, you are blighting your chances of a successful life. If you 
are not guilty, these words are not for you. If you are guilty, shake 
off these habits that lead you to the Devil. This same Mr. C. of whom 
I spoke, was scrupulously, I might say religiously, honest. While 
yet a young man he owned a large store of his own, and prospered all 
along life's journey. He never made big money, by speculation, but 
always lived within his income. He left an estate of $300,000. 
Among other legacies he left $20,000 for the benefit of the deserving 
poor of his native town, making it an endowment; three-fourths of 
the interest was to be given each year to the poor, one-fourth was to 
be added to the principal, thus making a growing fund, which will 
in all the years to come perpetuate his memory, making glad the hearts 
of the poor and needy when it brings them fire, food and clothing. 

Would this benign legacy ever have been known had this boy 
started out living beyond his income? 



PLUCK AND GRIT 

Of all elements entering human character, no two are more im- 
portant than those expressed in these two words "pluck" and "grit." 
"Pluck" brings a man to the front to face the enemy in battle. "Grit" 
keeps him in line and endows him with endurance to stand unflinching 
till victory is won. These qualities are required in every vocation. 
The farmer, blacksmith, salesman, merchant, doctor, lawyer, preacher, 
in fact, everybody. 

If the farmer has not pluck to go out to his daily toil and grit 
enough to stay with it, his harvest will be scant, his reward will be 
small. Picture to yourself a man who obtains his daily bread, his 
clothing and other comforts of life, by labor, lying abed in the morning 
waiting for something to "turn up." Nothing "turns up" in the battle 
of life unless there is a moving power behind it to make it turn. Charles 
Sumner said, "Three things are necessary, 1st, backbone; 2d, back- 
bone; 3d, backbone." Backbone without brains is worth more than 
brains without backbone. 

In digging in the dust and ashes of the buried city of Pompeii, at 
the sentry-box, the workmen found the skeleton of a Roman soldier 



MODERN DICTATION 193 

who was on duty at the command of his government, at the time the 
ashes, debris and melted lava belched forth from Vesuvius burying 
forever the great city. This mass carried desolation, horror, and 
death before it. While others were fleeing for their lives through the 
sentry gate, to places of safety, this soldier stood unmoved at his post, 
and refused to join the multitude of refugees fleeing from the city. 
See him there, his face beaming with resolution and a heart filled with 
true grit. Total darkness, changed for a moment by the flash of flame, 
and the lightning glare flashed on his livid face and polished helmet, 
yet his stern features remained composed. Erect and motionless he 
allowed himself to be buried there where he stood on duty 

Pluck ever commands admiration. Grit commands admiration 
mingled with reverence. 

Pluck and grit are strongly illustrated in the history of journalism, 
as follows : Many years ago in a great city was published a small 
paper. Its subscribers were few and its columns were filled with local 
and commonplace matter. The son of the proprietor was plucky and 
full of true grit. The paper had been steadily losing money. This 
son begged the father to let him have full control. Consent was re- 
luctantly given. The young journalist began remodeling the estab- 
lishment and introducing new ideas. Before this the paper had no part 
in moulding public opinion, and possessed no individuality or character 
of its own. Wrong, peculation, and unjust contracts in the public 
printing, were alike condemned in strong terms. The result was, 
that the little public patronage it had was withdrawn. The father 
stood in utter dismay, the son would soon ruin both the paper and 
himself, but no remonstrance could swerve the son from his purpose 
to give the world a great journal, which should have weight, character, 
individuality, and independence. The public soon saw that a new 
power was concentrating its force, and used behind the paper. Its 
articles were full of interest, new thought, new ideas, new blood was 
injected into the insignificant sheet. A man with pluck, brains, and 
tenacity of purpose was at the helm. A man with grit, who could make 
a way when he could not find one. He had great opposition from 
other papers, and also the government; But he was there to push, 
to move, and he did move. The paper grew, till in that early day he 
could not supply the demand, and had many printers setting up the 
paper in duplicate and triplicate. He gave a new impetus to journal- 
ism and soon ranked first in the world. This was in about 1810. This 
man was John Walter, Jr. This paper was "The London Times," and 
it is to-day probably the greatest printed on earth. 
13 



194 MODERN DICTATION 

illustration of the great power felt in the world by the "pluck and 
grit" of one young man. 

If you expect to make your mark, 

And would not wander in the dark, 

You never can get in the light 

Without these weapons in the fight. 

These tw(5 you must have buckled on, 

With them full half the battle's won. 

Hold steady now the sword of Pluck, 

And don't rely on one called Luck. 

And when you're in the hottest fray. 

Old Bonaparte you must obey. 

And when the battle rages hot, 

Don't flinch, but stay right on the spot. 

Present the gun we call old Grit, 

It scares the foe clear out of wit. 

Then when from war you've found release, 

And in your age sit down in peace, 

These trusty weapons put away, 

Yes. "Pluck" and "Grit" that won the day. 

TRUTH 

The day for securing business by downright falsehood is past. 
The public will order you back into the darkness as Poe when he 
addressed the raven. 

There possibly may be extreme cases where deception might be 
justifiable, but in the ordinary transactions of business a lie is poor 
capital. If you invest in it you will always find the investment vanish 
away as the mists and fogs before the morning sun. Truth stands a 
deep foundation laid in solid rock holding the structure firmly in place. 
A lie is a foundation of sand that gives way before the streams of 
water played on it by a discerning public, causing a sure fall of the 
structure above. You are not compelled to tell all you know to point 
out the weak points, if any. There is enough of truth in the great 
work of humanity to fill volumes. If you would be successful, be a man ; 
tell the truth, for a truer couplet was never penned than this: 
1 ' Oh, what a tangled web we weave, 
When first we practice to deceive." 

No element of character is more prominent with great men than 
Truth. Some doubting ones would break our faith in the story of 



MODERN DICTATION 195 

George Washington, who with his "little hatchet" cut his father's 
favorite cherry tree, and when asked who did it replied: "Father, I 
cannot tell a lie; I did it with my little hatchet." By this honest con- 
fession at the risk of punishment, he was commended for telling the 
truth. 

We believe this story; yet, whether it be true or not, we know 
Washington was great, and his greatness was largely recognized because* 
he was truthful. 

Confidence is the basis of all successful business, and no confidence 
is found where truth is wanting. 

SEED TIME AND HARVEST 

Boardman says: "Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit and you 
reap a character; sow a character, you reap a destiny." How few 
stop to think about the result of every day's sowing. Every being 
possessed of soul and intellect is sowing broadcast some kinds of seed, 
not dead seed, but seed in which are the germs of success or failure. 

The small boy, the youth, the man in his vigor, and the old man 
are scattering seed, planting in the soil, fertile soil, which will germinate 
and bring forth fruit. Oh, boy, oh, youth! oh, man! what is the 
nature of that seed? The harvest will come by and by; what will that 
harvest be? 

The boy bows at his mother's knee, and there is taught the truth 
as God gave it in the "Book of books," commanding: "Thou shalt not 
take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." The little boy fully feels 
the necessity of steering clear of "swearing," yet he goes out and hears 
oath after oath repeated so often by little people and big people, that 
after a little while he concludes it is really manly. The bad seed ger- 
minates in his heart and shortly springs up a poisonous accursed weed 
— and out comes that wicked oath. Oh! see him with gleaming eyes, 
hating himself, for then and there he feels, he knows, the good angels 
of purity have taken their flight. There has left him the influence of 
the dear loving mother, whose anxious heart has been so full that she 
has shed copious tears as she prayed God to keep her boy pure. He 
can see the eyes of Satan, as he looks on with that satanic grin, and in 
gleeful mood exclaims, "that boy is mine." 

Pope says: 

"Vice is a monster of such frightful mien 
That to be hated, needs but to be seen ; 
Yet seen too oft, familiar with his face, 
We first endure, then pity, then embrace." 



196 MODERN DICTATION 

An ancient motto was, " Resist Beginning." 

The folly of the child grows into the vice of the youth, and the crime 
of the man. "Sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind." Wrong is 
a smooth, even decline that takes its votaries down, down, down, with 
an accelerating motion. Right is a hill to climb, and only the wise are 
willing to toil up its rugged pathway. Yet the reward is great, and 
it gives vigor and endurance. Sow to the one, reap bitterness and 
sorrow; sow to the other, reap sweetness and joy. It is said that a 
pebble thrown into a great lake makes a wave that is felt on the opposite 
shore. Words, acts, even thoughts, are seeds sown. Kind and gener- 
ous words and noble acts bring a harvest of warm friends. 

One wrong deed sown among many good ones has caused many a 
man sorrow all his days. Know certainly, you cannot indulge in little 
sins, but they will surely find you out. If the world does not see and 
know it, you are conscious of it and are weakened just so much in 
manhood. 

Once a man getting angry with his neighbor, determined to do 
him great harm. He knew the neighbor was very careful not to 
allow weeds and burs to grow in his field. The angry man went at 
night and sowed cockle-burs all over his neighbor's field. They grew, 
and it took much hard labor to hoe, pull and plow them out. If you 
have any cause of feeling hard toward any man, revenge is poor remuner- 
ation. "Overcome evil with good," but if you should get ugly burs 
growing in the field of character, hoe them, pull them, plow them out. 

I remember when a boy, passing by a wooded place near an old 
log schoolhouse. My uncle was with me and he said: "Twenty-five 
years ago when I was a boy, under that old oak tree, I gave a boy the 
worst thrashing I ever saw a boy get." I asked how it happened. He 
replied: "The boy was bigger and older than I and on the previous 
day he struck me and hurt me very much. I looked him in the face and 
said, ( I will get even with you, sir/ So the day I whipped him, I took 
some fine watermelons to school. At noon I told all the boys I had 
something to show them. They all followed, when I rolled out from 
under the bushes my melons and began to cut them in large slices, 
and they were luscious. My friend (?) stood a little back from the 
other boys, feeling that none of the rich feast was for him. I took up 
the largest piece, so red and sweet and gave it to him. He accepted it, 
and as he ate, the great teardrops trickled down his cheeks. When his 
feelings would allow him to speak, he said: 'Will, you have gotten 
even with me.' One of the best friends I ever had in school and in 
after life, was the boy I whipped under that tree." Sow bad seed as 



MODERN DICTATION 197 

did Adam's first son, Cain; the wicked Ahab and Jezebel, his wife; 
the heartless tyrant Nero, who, 'tis said, engaged in revelry and music 
while Rome burned — their influence still goes on. 

Sow good seed, the harvest will come very soon, and be resown 
to bring forth good through the ages to come, reaching out even into 
eternity. Noah, Abraham, David, Job, Solomon, Socrates, all sowed 
seed that have brought rich harvests, and the good seed are being 
resown yet, as their words and thoughts are treasured in the hearts of 
the wise of to-day. 

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, 
that shall he also reap." In the physical world we see this forcibly 
illustrated. Great care is taken in selecting the very best seed. Man 
is so constituted that by studying the nature of certain seed, he greatly 
improves the quality above that found in the original. All the fine 
luscious apples we enjoy have been propagated from the little bitter 
crab. Then how important in sowing the seed for making a man to 
select the very best, and by pruning and training we can improve on 
what has gone before. Let Americans, as representing freedom and 
progress, husband that which will advance them in all that builds up 
a stronger, better character; then all the world will turn their eyes in 
wonder and admiration at the happiest, strongest, and best people on 
earth. 

We can give only a few ideas on this great subject, but what we 
wish is to put the people on a line of thought as to the best plan of 
successful seeding. 

CHEERFULNESS AND GOOD HUMOR 

Who ever saw a man successful in getting business if he was cross, 
morose, sour, and snappish. One of our American poets has truly said, 
"Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone." 
It is very difficult sometimes to be cheerful when things are not going 
well with you ; but so sure as you do not cultivate a cheerful spirit, you 
will have an expense bill that wiil exceed your income. When you 
discover a tendency to be what is called "down in the mouth," say 
something, think of something, do something that will buoy you up 
with a measure of glad thoughts. The very effort will have a reacting 
effect on your low spirits and bring you out into a normal condition. 
Read a book of humor, or join in conversation with some "hail fellow 
well met," and you will find that cheerfulness is contagious and that 
kind of contagion that brings both health and success. 



198 



MODERN DICTATION 



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MODERN DICTATION 



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MODERN DICTATION 



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alert 

dressers 

confidence 

experiment 
exactly 
prestige 

enthusiastic 

unusual 

X-ray 

convincing 
argument 
imprinted 

duplicate 

distribution 

standard 

impression 

approach 

confronting 

tendency 

prejudice 

exists 

forethought 
figuratively ' 
literally 

likewise 

cement 

retirable 

annual 

allotment 

limited 

mislaid 

effectual 

popularizing 

AA 
EE 

consist 

contrary 

masterpieces 

literature 









9- 



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£.*..«, 



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— V 



MODERN DICTATION 



201 



publishers 
privilege 
discount 



holidays 

ript 

edition 



H 



191 handle _ , , 
postoffice. ...«±?...V 

192 universal 



atlas 
propos i tion . .^p . . 



V 



subscription 4r 6 



somewhat 

212 chagrined 

unexpected 



213 



renewal 
proprietor 
commending 

214 federal 

practically 

Washington 

unsolicited 

testimonials 

festoons 




circular 

193 earlier 

194 prospectus 

copies 

returnable. 

outright 

195 mutual 
conservatively 

197 shelfwcrn 



./^r.*.^ 



215 reputation 

216 extended 
commands 



...^.sr^ 



198 



periodical 

exercise 

serial 



widespread 

recognition 

justify 

extensively 

199 wide-awake 

library 

description 

200 histories 
distributing 

201 tremendously 

percentage 
display 

203 perhaps 

205 indebtedness 

committing 

injustice 

outstanding 

207 articles 



208 



perceive 

volumes 

temporary 




217 



218 



expressed 

suggested 

discuss 

diploma 

problem 

vexing 



expeditiouslv 

219 vacated 

220 possession 



221 



222 



223 
224 



persistent 
adjoining 
determine 

railroad 

purchaser 

definite 

title 
conveyed 
residence 












225 survey 

226 mentioned. 

228 profitable 

229 persuading 
231 telephone 
233 consummate 



critical 
condensed 
courteous 



^A- 



.*?.. 



*$•• 



■*» 



completed 
209 Remington 



/*\ 



211 



operator 
machine . . .So. 
couple 



234 

236 



239 accumulating 

240 establishment 
conscientious 

241 integrity 
solvency 

243 destruction 

indulgence 

244 managers 

245 disinfectant 






/>-rr1..^. 




202 



MODERN DICTATION 



216 glycerophos- 
phates 

247 apology 

248 notation 

undoubtedly 
unable 

249 shortage 

250 behalf 

251 Wells Fargo 

Express 



exclusive 
performed 

252 handkerchief 

supplied 

253 booklet 
ready-to-wear 

comprehensive 

revelation 

ideas 

irresistibly 
artistic 

254 inducements 

refunded 

display 

entertainment 

255 



256 



modifications 

257merchandisi'g 

elements 

readjustment 

260 squarely 

proportion 

261 



264 



265 identify 

prevailing 
adulterate 



266 



267 



&.%. 



innovations 
designed 
moulded 





270 pre-eminently 

standbys 

assortment 



inferior 

discovered 

auction 

rectify 

vexation 

approbation 

275 insufficient 
irregularity 

disadvantage 

concession 

276 destination 
whereabouts 



depicts 

altho 

competition 

portieres 

281 attractive 

282 decisions 

supreme court 

284 territory 

stampede 



signature 

pass-book 

extract 



2S6 

288 



appended 

file 

evidently 

severed 

pursue 

premium 

indicated 

initials 

ordinarily 

uncertainty 

expediting 

hereafter 



295 

297 disregard 
depreciation 

300 exceedingly 
memoranda 



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**..* 



■^■i 



^ 



(n 



MODERN DICTATION 



203 



304 



doubtless 
nuisance 
operates 

incumbrance 

approximate 

provision 

waivers 



surround 



305 
307 



309 



312 



governing 
deposit 

avoided 

consult 

presentation 

honored 

aforesaid 

sympathy 

resorting 

extricate 

ungranted 

lecture 
Christian 
audience 



psychologically 
demonstration 



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%-:L..9. 

r^k 

<v..r^r..... 

-^ 



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co-operate 

••• 327 appropriation 

accruing 

328 inaugurated / 

• • - self-explanatory • ■^_ L ^ 1 . C Z\. ....< 
electrotype 7 



C-.-rtL^ 



330 Christmas f 



illustrations, 
bulletins 



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r 



■^4 



313 
314 

316 

317 
320 

321 



325 



example 

opposite 

clearance 

ingenious 

superiority, 

criticism 



v.^. 




331 ere -° c - 

333 upwards - V \ 

specifying > . 

exceptionally ^ 

astray. -«« '^ 

forwarded 

336 invariably ^__ f> 

judiciously: --Aa /^ 

recipient 

337acquaintances ' £. 

photographs 
342 delineator ^^ 

'343 tributary ^~^o rf. 

non-subscribers 
345 era 

inse 

ratrni 

346 

349 
351 



■^ 



^IjK: 



326 emphatically 

promiscuously 

villages 

concentrated 

affirmative 

coerce 



inserted 
patronage 
engravers 

intelligent • & frrrf.. . °~^~ 
strenuous 
imperative 
contempo- ^— . ' v_ r 

raries " y, "" "."X 

systematize 
bureau 

emphasis r^?^s\$ - W> 

superfluous \, 

paragraph 

consecutively '"""£ £ C ^J> 

ahead 
enrolment _ 

propagation ,.0Xy. \>. >^f 

intervention fl 

international . 

shrinkage . • ^7" ty ■■ #**# ■■■• 
deliberate / 

substantial 

vocational . S/fT. . .^. -<<?T.. . 
industriously 
solicitors 



204 MODERN DICTATION 



excite ,i 
susceptible ' ^°" ■ 



tensively 

conventional 
preconceived 



corollary C 

I 



^ 



359 adaptability 
pressure ; 

overthrow V 2__ , 

361 estate Gj?- •■*"- •♦^^ 

statutes 

friendliness Jo^. 

362 incorporated ■••■«<-* 

363 exorbitant 

rejection y^ C 

364 deposition "/' 
366 maturity 



^ 



misgivings 

receipt whereof 

do hereby sell 

assign, transfer, convey and 

set over 

in and to the 

within-named policy 

interest and benefit 

and advantage whatever 
may hereafter ' 
or to be 

to have and to hold the 
same unto the ■ 
heirs and assigns ! 

in witness whereof 
hereunto set my hand and seal this ' 




/ 






sealed and delivered 
plumbers specifications 

required in the y 

south side of / 

according to plans -^f -^ — >^z — 9.VJ. 



are to be submitted 

of this city . p 

place in the.. . J<% .. . >-* .r . Ss^x^. 

owner will provide ^ 

to be built on ? -* 

contractor must be . X ^f^rrryr... \yj& 

rs and specifications 'J* I ' 



drawings and specifications 

in all cases 

head lines , 

by means of 



*#.. 



MODERN DICTATION 



205 



supreme court 

Dutchess County 

Mutual Insurance Company 

that heretofore 

property of this plaintiff 

taxation at the 

ten thousand dollars 

common council 

as shown on said roll 

warrant for its 

issued to 

city treasurer 

sixth day of February 

claiming to act as 

claiming such sum 

then and there 

property was not 

tax in question 

to allow the 

said sum of 

city of Poughkeepsie 

ask his judgment 

for the sum of 

interest from May 

state of New York 

foregoing complaint and 

as to the matters 

before me this 

concluded or ended 

second judicial district 

hereinafter mentioned 

disbursements of this action i 

examination as follows 

guilt or innocence 

conscientious scruples 

verdict of guilty 

punishment is death 

I have none 

expressed your opinion 

I do not think I 

expressed any opinion publicly 

I think under the ruling of 



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definitely upon the question 

argument upon it /• ^> 

for the present ' L^ri^^f. U-^.... 

brick dwelling house v 1 / ' 

given in all cases Y^ 2? A? r 

figures on v -h- • !a- 

shall be made 

lead lines ** _ 

whetherfor ..^..^rrz......^. 



206 MODERN DICTATION 

cast-iron pipes ^A— ^ o 

when required .^iVf^Tf., .. **. & '" r ^T - ~? 

work shal 1 he ^ ' 



lead and cast-iron pipes 
,vhen required 
work shall be 

general release 



state of Minn. \ Q ^ rr . i JT?*~~' ^TTX. 
city of Minneapolis v »'" * 



Jlrr^* .^\ . . . y^\.. , 



of and from all actions 

es of action . j^rrrQ . . .^-> . . 

whatsoever /T^u=> 

or by reason of ^"T 

cause or thing .7... ■■■^p' . . C 

date as above <r^ Q 

extension agreement \> 

this agreement made this . <7S-£? . 
by and between 

state of 111. 

witnesseth , > *s J 
bearing the date of the nZ£* Xc 

to the order of — x> . 

bearing interest at the V..« ; . \ ^ 

per annum < £^-' 

after maturity 

at the highest ^ ~^ ^ 
rate which is 

in such cases 



pay ment of all sa id K ~ t ^' 



trust company 

which said trust 

this agreement shall 



state aforesaid 

written contracts 

claimed to have 

cancelled and delivered 

to the abovenamed defendants 

copy of your answer 

hereby summoned to answer the 



this indenture 

made this ^2- 



^■^v^ 



plaintiff's attorney . — p. _ j 
failure to appear and w..:?rr^.Orn^.. 

1 he taken a.pairiKt von ^ 



will be taken against you 

county of Cook 

known to me .y..„ ^ 

whose names are ^-— — g 

at my office /?^* — "" \a ., 

official seal .,.. J a ^..r.^ rry. . 



year in this 



MODERN DICTATION 



207 



on or about the 
was indebted 
in the sum of 

date thereof 

United States of America 

interest on each of said 

principle notes 

semi-annually 

that he is 

of all of said 

executed and delivered 

deed of trust 

in words and 

following to wit 

which deed of trust was duly 

amount was duly 

that none of the 

interest upon said 

abstract of title 

to said premises 

insurance and taxes 

that pursuant to the 

foreclose said trust 

complainant further prays 

know all men by these presents 

state of North Carolina 

hereby make 

constitute and appoint 

of the same place 

of the said company 

like power 

by virtue of these 

in witness whereof 

hereunto set my hand and seal 

presence of 

on motion 

under the name of 

reading and filing the complaint in 

this action 

ordered that upon said 

paying into court the 

said defendant 

be restrained 

from commencing any action 

by the court 

circuit judge 

deponents further say that they will 

carefully compared 




**i 



208 



MODERN DICTATION 



foregoing copy 

said copy is 

true and correct copy 

whole thereof 

revised statutes 

acts and amendments thereto 

at the special term of the 

held at the 

court house 

notary public 

in the city 

ordered that this action be 

same hereby is 

present defendant 

and that said action be revived 

special term of the 

it is ordered that- 

and he hereby is 

appointed to act as 

sell in the 

place instead of 

order directing such sale 

and that said 

pursuant to said order of sale 

to the abovenamed defendants 

to answer the 

complaint in this action 

and to serve 

copy of your answer 
day of service 
in case of your 

failure to appear or 

trial desired 

plaintiff's attorney 

state of Missouri 

for and in consideration 

of the sum of 

lawful money of the 

United States 

to me in hand paid 




One copy del. to Oat. Div. 



APR 18 IV *W 



CM 



CO 




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